Pride Isn't Everything
by Darkhope
Summary: [POST-GMG] The Grand Magic Games are over, and the future is saved. After all that's happened, Gray finally decides to swallow his pride. Gray x Juvia (Gruvia)
1. Chapter One

**A/N: **I haven't written a fanfic in about… 8 years? Safe to say I'm not a writer, though for some reason I really wanted to put this story together. I can also say that my writing has most definitely improved since then. I've written other things (like pairing manifestos) so it's not as though I'm a newbie, and I've read plenty of fanfiction. I love Gray and Juvia as a pairing, and with what's happened in the recent chapters I couldn't resist. This takes place after the Grand Magic Games. I don't know what else Hiro Mashima has planned with the whole Eclipse thing, but let's just say everything got figured out and fixed because we all know how it goes in this series.

I obviously made up some parts as this is fanfiction, but I mixed them in with canon as much as possible.

Also, I refuse to make Juvia out to be a fangirl. The anime exaggerates this aspect of her character _way too much. _If you've read the manga, you know that in the most recent chapters she has toned down the fangirling a great deal.

Pardon the present/past tense here; my beta fixed it as much as she could, but it's sort of jumbled.

I decided to submit this in time for the **GRUVIA WEEK** that's being held on tumblr: April 1st – April 7th. Although this is early, it will be tagged there when the week starts. :)

I don't own Fairy Tail. Oh well.

**Summary:** [POST-GMG] The Grand Magic Games are over, and the future is saved. After all that's happened, Gray finally decides to swallow his pride. Gray x Juvia (Gruvia).

...

...

...

**Pride Isn't Everything**

_Chapter One_

It's over, Gray Fullbuster thought. It was finally over. Not only had Fairy Tail emerged victorious in the tournament, but they had stopped the invasion of said ten thousand dragons from destroying their future. Of course, the guild had help from others such as Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, and even Sabertooth. Sting and Rogue weren't that bad after all. In fact, they looked as though they'd like to join Fairy Tail. Makarov certainly would not refuse, as he is extremely kind-hearted. He allowed Gajeel and Juvia to join, despite them being ex-Phantom Lord members.

Juvia.

That's right... Juvia Lockser; the water mage of the guild.

Gray can barely remember a time when she wasn't a part of the team. Sometimes it's hard to believe they were enemies in the past...

The ice mage continues to recall all that happened during the tournament as he makes his way towards the guild's welcoming doors.

"_I'll never let go."_

Those words still echo in the raven haired man's head. Gray knew he could have let go of her hand at any point after they won their battle against Lyon and Chelia, however, fate told him not to. Instead, he turned it around and left the letting go part to her. Juvia was still Juvia though. It was a typical response; he should have known better.

Gray didn't know how bad the future had been, how it really would have been if they hadn't all fought together... He could have been dead for all he knew. But, all that mattered now was that life was back to normal.

Mostly.

Everything was fixed, according to the Rogue that came from the future. Though what puzzled him, was what Lucy told him soon after they unleashed the eclipse canon. Supposedly future Rogue informed the group that only 10% of humanity survived in his time; Lucy mentioned that her future self told her what had happened to the guild members specifically. She wouldn't go into details exactly, but Gray wondered what her statement to him meant.

...

_Brown eyes stared into dark ones; Lucy was telling everybody what her future self had expressed about her comrade's lives. When her eyes met Gray's, he could tell she was serious about something._

"_Don't let _**her**_ leave your side. If you do, you'll make the biggest mistake of your life and live with regret forever." she told him with a stern tone._

_The ice mage raised his eyebrow and gave her a confused look. He was about to ask what the celestial mage was talking about, but Lucy had already gone off to talk to his best friend, Natsu Dragneel. Not that Gray would ever admit it out loud, but he cared about the fire dragon slayer a great deal. He also saw how his so called best friend and rival looked at Lucy. Natsu had apparently shed tears when future Lucy died. It affected him the most, but in the end, he had the present Lucy to hold onto._

_Speaking of holding on… Oh yes, Juvia had clung to his left arm. Life was certainly back to normal._

_He didn't push her away._

...

Gray stops in his tracks and pauses as he looks up at the blue heavens. It's a clear, sunny day; there's not a cloud in the sky. He inhales and then exhales deeply, wondering what future Lucy could have meant by her words. He's not even certain he knows what girl she'd spoken of.

Oh hell.

He knew from that moment _exactly_ who she was referring to. He would be in complete and utter denial if he didn't. It's true that Juvia and he had become close since she first joined the guild. They'd gone on plenty of quests together, fought together, and simply hung around each other enough at the guild to cause the others to think something was going on.

Maybe they had gotten _too_ close.

And now he was told to never let her leave his side by someone from the future. Did that mean that Juvia was dead in that time? Was he too late there? It scared Gray to even think about it...

But he composed himself and shook away the negative thoughts, knowing that the future had been saved. There was no way he would let anyone harm her. _Ever._

**...**

The guild doors open as the ice mage pokes his head in. Everyone was already there.

"Damn… I was late after all," he curses. He'd been so caught up in his thoughts that he had forgotten everyone was supposed to meet an hour ago.

They're all celebrating, which is typical of Fairy Tail. Cana had ordered a tremendous amount of beer barrels. She's drunk already, while Jet and Droy fight over who gets to "spend the night" with Levy. Gray snickers at their dispute, mainly because the bookworm is busy trying to calm Gajeel down after losing a beer chugging contest to Natsu. Normally they would be barrel surfing, but that wouldn't be a good idea seeing as both dragon slayers suffered from motion sickness. Oh yes, their greatest weakness.

"Hey Gray!"

He whips his head around to see Lucy greeting him. He smiles. "Lucy, what's up? You aren't drinking?!"

"I had some, but I've been mainly babysitting everyone. Especially this one…" She sighs and points to a half passed out Natsu on the floor. "Why are you so late anyway?"

Juvia's face then pops into his mind. "I-I well… I was just… taking my time. Thinking about things. Nothing too important!" He scratches the back of his head as Lucy gives him an odd look. Come to think of it, where is Juvia? She's usually the first to greet him. It's strange to think that after their arguably most important victory, she isn't there shouting his name. Suddenly, he hears a familiar voice.

"Come on, Juvia! You know you want to!"

He twitches. So, that's why she didn't see him yet.

Gray slowly turns around to see his childhood friend and rival, Lyon, flirting with Juvia. Not that it was anything new, but the more it happened, the more it annoyed him. The other guilds came to visit Fairy Tail, and joined in on the party. It's not just for the tournament victory, but also for the future that had been saved. The raven haired ice mage simply watches the two from across the room.

"Bu-but Juvia is already celebrating with the guild… We don't need to go somewhere else…." The water mage squeaks out. She felt a bit bad for always rejecting Lyon's advances, but he should know by now who had her heart.

"Who said you can't do both? We can stay here for a bit longer and then go out alone!" He persists as she looked down, feeling uncomfortable. She's about to retort, but she feels a hand on her shoulder and stops. It's like déjà vu...

Juvia remembers the same gesture during the last battle of the games. His touch is gentle and comforting, just as it was then. She looks up and sees that Gray finally made his way to the guild, and to her no less. She had been waiting for his arrival for a while, and is relieved to see him. "Lyon, Juvia doesn't want to go with you." He says with his hand still on her shoulder.

"Gray! About time you showed up." The white haired man smirks, "I would appreciate it if you left us alone though. And don't touch my Juvia like that! It was enough during our battle, you don't need to pretend to be affectionate here too!" He then points a finger accusingly at Gray, his voice becoming louder. This triggers many heads to turn around from others in the room. Multiple eyes quietly stare at the confrontation.

Erza is one of them. She puts down a fork beside her strawberry cake for a moment, just to observe the scene. The scarlet haired women can't help but smile. She knew Gray a long time and understood that, deep down, he really cares about Juvia. More than he probably knows. The ice mage is like a brother to her; she wants him to be happy. That's another reason why Erza had decided to talk to him briefly, regarding Juvia's feelings, on the balcony during the games. She isn't sure how Gray will go about giving Juvia an answer, but she has a feeling something is going to happen. Soon.

"First of all… Juvia isn't yours. Second of all…." Gray starts as he lets his hand fall off Juvia's shoulder, giving Lyon a serious look. "Who said I was _pretending_?"

Now _that_ grabs everyone's attention in the guild. Did Gray just indirectly admit he has feelings for Juvia? Natsu starts to sit up on the floor, trying to make out what was actually happening. Erza continues to grin, simply because she knows how he _really_ feels. Jet and Droy stop arguing over Levy and listen to the conversation between the two ice mages as well. Even Romeo and Wendy become silent and listen.

Once Gray realizes all eyes are ogling him, crimson spreads across his cheeks. That's been happening a lot recently. "W-WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT?"

Juvia is also eyeing him. She is slightly red in the face, but happy that her Gray-sama is defending her. It's like a dream come true! Normally he would ignore what's happening, or just look annoyed because it's Lyon hitting on her, out of all men. But this time is different. Juvia senses her Gray-sama is actually angry.

"Defensive are we?" Lyon keeps his smirk from earlier as he crosses his arms. "I admit that you won the battle, but you haven't won the war. We'll just have to make another bet then."

"I never agreed to that-"

"I still can't believe we lost to you. Then again, Juvia is amazing!"

Juvia feels her cheeks warm. It's rare to blush because of Lyon, but his words are flattering. She isn't flustered because she likes him romantically or anything, but she has to admit it's nice hearing some praise.

"If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't have won," Lyon continues.

Gray notices Juvia's face, and it ticks him off. Why is she blushing because of this guy? "You're right, Lyon. I couldn't have won without her. But that's why we did win, because of our team work. We work well together." He isn't even sure in what way he meant that. Sure their magic is compatible, and sure they get along great...

He decides to let Lyon, Juvia, and the rest of the guild, as they are still staring, take it in whatever way they want to.

Now Lyon starts to get annoyed. Gray certainly isn't backing down this time. "Why didn't you agree to our bet last time?"

To this day, the water mage still doesn't understand what that bet was all about. "Gray-sama! Juvia wants to know too!" she shrieks with her arms waving around in circles. "Does Gray-sama prefer Juvia or Lyon-sama!?" This makes everyone in the room sweat drop. She _really_ doesn't understand.

"I don't have to answer that," Gray responds coldly to Lyon, ignoring Juvia's outburst. Come to think of it, why hadn't he agreed? Oh, that's right. Because Juvia isn't a prize to be won. She's a human with feelings, and also because… well, Gray didn't want to lose her. Not that he would admit it out loud. Nope, he certainly would not swallow his pride.

Maybe.

"Juvia deserves a man who treats her right. From the moment I saw her, I knew she was special. Like I said, don't pretend." Lyon gives Gray a glare and then looks to Juvia's innocent face. "I'll be back. I'm going back to my guild for a bit. Don't miss me too much." He gives a wink and starts to walk off.

"A-ano... Lyon-sama..." she trails off, not really knowing how to react.

Gray on the other hand, is fuming. Did Lyon not hear him the first time when he said he wasn't pretending? "DON'T BOTHER COMING BACK!"

It's true that he has never been this angry at his formal childhood friend's advances before. Gray isn't even sure of why he's so angry himself.

During the last couple of months, Gray had become seemingly possessive when it came to Juvia. Though they developed together before the exam on Tenrou Island, during the time they spent fighting Grimoire Heart is when he really took notice of her. At one point, he felt as though their senses were even connected. Little did he know, they _were_ connected by Meredy's sensory link. He recalls saving her from Ultear, and how furious he was that the pair tried to kill her. He'd been fighting to save the world, yet in the end, all he thought of was Juvia and if she'd been okay.

Then Lyon entered the picture. At first, Gray found the entire triangle annoying from all angles. He did not have time for such child's play. But, after a while, he felt the need to be next to her almost all the time. Especially after what had occurred during the Grand Magic Games tournament. He swore he couldn't wrap his head around it, but something about holding her hand just felt right. Almost like the spaces between his fingers were where hers were meant to fit.

Juvia was the female in the guild that Gray interacted with the most. There was no doubt about that. The more you interact with a person, the better you get to know them.

Her feelings for him weren't a secret. He had known for quite some time, even before Erza mentioned them to him. Truthfully speaking, he didn't, and still doesn't, know what to do about them. He wasn't even sure of how he felt. Back in the day, when they first met, he would easily say he only saw her as a nakama.

Now, he has a harder time deciphering what exactly they are...

"Gray-sama?" His train of thought is broken by the sound of Juvia's voice. "Everyone is… staring."

Indeed. Almost everyone in the room had witnessed the event. The blush on Gray's face grows deeper. "Whatever." That said, he walks away from her and takes a seat at the bar.

Her face saddens as she watches the love of her life slowly drift away from her across the room. The rest of the guild got back to their business while the water mage decides to take action. She is not someone who gives up so easily, especially when it concerns her Gray-sama. Juvia starts to walk over to where Gray is currently sitting, not having the slightest clue as to how much she really affects him.

**...**

"That damn Lyon… who does he think he is? Walking in here like he owns the place _and_ Juvia like that…" Gray mutters to himself, taking a sip of beer.

"Why don't you just tell him that she's taken?"

His eyes become wide as Mirajane walks over to him and places another mug on the bar. The take over mage always overhears conversations, observing potential relationships among the guild members.

"What are you…" Gray starts, but unsuccessfully finishes. Happy interrupts him mid sentence.

"HE LIKEEESSS HER!"

"WHERE DID YOU COME FROM? Shouldn't you be with Natsu or something?" And that's all Gray can respond with. He's not good at denying his feelings; he simply likes to change the subject.

"Likes… Who?"

Mirajane, Happy, and Gray all turn to look at Juvia standing there.

"Juvia means… uh! Well… never mind…" she mumbles, looking at the floor. Is it possible that her Gray-sama has feelings for someone else? Just when she thought she didn't have any more love rivals... The blue haired women quickly sits down next to him, as she usually would.

Mirajane quietly pours Juvia a drink and then leaves the two alone.

"Juvia… I…" he trails off as she listens. Of course, Gray has no idea what to say. "Forget it."

She has noticed that Gray blushes a lot more than he ever used to; is it only around her? "You know… Juvia is always happy when she spends time with Gray-sama!"

"Yeah?" His eyes met hers.

"Yes! Whenever Juvia is with Gray-sama, her heart beats fast and she never wants to be apart!" She moved closer and wrapped her arms around his side. "Never."

There she goes again with that word; _Never._ "O-Oi, baka! Wait a minute…!" Why did she always have to be so affectionate, especially in public? Gray Fullbuster is not exactly open, especially in the romance department.

"Juvia thinks we should take a quest together!" she states as she leans even closer into him.

He groans. "We just saved the future and won the tournament. Haven't you had enough action for a while? A break would be nice."

"Break or no break, Juvia is always prepared."

Gray cannot help but give a small smile. Even though typical Juvia is still herself, she is definitely less obnoxious and aggressive. Recently, he didn't mind her around him. In fact, he happens to like her company. He has noticed when she's around more so than when she was.

"True." He shrugs his shoulders. Juvia gives him a genuine smile and he thinks her smile is beautiful. He didn't notice, prior to the games, just how bright it could be. For someone who was once known as the rain women, her smile could certainly pull out the sun. She may still be linked with rain, but Juvia is no longer gloomy.

"Arigatou, Gray-sama." She lets go of him and sits up straight, looking into space.

"Eh? For what? I didn't do anything." He looks at her while she peers ahead, not sparing him a glance.

Juvia shakes her head. "You did everything. It's because of you that Juvia's rain stopped. It's because of you that she was able to see the light. It's because of you, who encouraged Juvia in the last battle of the tournament, that we were able to win. Gray-sama has shown Juvia so much kindness…. He saved Juvia. She is forever grateful."

He is rendered speechless. She really thinks highly of him...

After about a minute of taking in what Juvia said, he finally responds. "Heh. Well I guess I did help, didn't I?"

She nods. Gray is Gray; he always has a cocky side to him.

"But Juvia, we didn't win that match because of me. We won because of our team work. I meant what I said before… I couldn't have won without you."

She continues to listen.

"That wasn't the only thing I said that I meant… Everything I said before was the truth. That includes my comment about not pretending."

"Juvia doesn't understand…"

She really doesn't know what he means; not pretending about what? However, butterflies start to gather up inside of her while she waits for his next response. The water mage suddenly feels nervous, anticipation brimming...

...

...

...

**A/N:** So as you can see, this first chapter mainly dealt with Gray's inner thoughts and recollections of his history with Juvia. Sorry if there wasn't much development here, but it's the beginning and the story had to start somewhere. It all must lead up to Gray finally "swallowing his pride". How that will happen and when… you'll have to read to find out! I tried to keep them in character as much as possible, so I hope I was successful. After writing an entire manifesto on a pairing you get to know their characters! Not only that, but I want the events in this fanfic to make sense and be realistic as if it _could_ actually happen in canon. I doubt the events in the story would happen exactly, but as I said, this is _not_ an AU story.

There will be plenty of action as well.

Also want to thank my best friend **darkdreamerx **for beta-ing this story! :D Arigatou nakama!

Suggestions, comments, all appreciated when you hit the review button. ;o


	2. Chapter Two

**A/N: **Alright, here we go! Chapter two. Not much to be said here, as I explained in the first chapter my personal take on everything. So yeah, cutting this short and right to the chapter. Thank you for all the feedback and reviews! That keeps me motivated. Seriously. :D

I don't own Fairy Tail… the usual…

Gray blushes around Juvia more in the manga now. Therefore, he blushes in this story more too. It only makes sense, ne?

**Summary:** [POST-GMG] The Grand Magic Games are over, and the future is saved. After all that's happened, Gray finally decides to swallow his pride. Gray x Juvia (Gruvia).

...

...

...

**Pride Isn't Everything**

_Chapter Two_

To say she's a little nervous is an understatement. No, Juvia Lockser is _beyond_ nervous. She watches his movements closely. Gray starts off confident, as if he knows exactly what to say... But then stops and looks away from her for a moment, before continuing on with his response.

"There's… a lot of things you don't understand, Juvia." He knows she's oblivious to the bet that Lyon tried to make with him back in the tournament. He also knows from her previous outburst that she doesn't quite fully grasp what had just transpired between the two ice mages. "Do you remember when we held hands during the games?" Gray asks. He's still facing away from her, but a small blush creeps upon his cheeks.

"Juvia remembers. That was one of the best moments of Juvia's life!" she replies happily, blushing as well. She has an adorable chibi-like smile plastered on her face whilst she remembers the moment.

"Well… the reason I told you to let go instead of me was because…" The words get caught in his throat. How is he supposed to phrase it? He can't just say 'I didn't want to let go of your hand because it felt right for some reason'. This is Juvia he's talking to. Knowing her, she'll take it the wrong way and ask when they are getting married or something. Gray has more pride than that. He has dignity, dammit!

Before Gray joined Fairy Tail, he made a vow to himself. He swore that he would only ever see his guild mates as nakama and nothing more. This came from the fact that anyone he ever loved was taken away from him. His parents, his town, and his sensei Ur. He's lost them all. The ice mage was certainly cold after those events. The name of his magic certainly fit his personality well.

Now to him, it's impossible to become _close_ with someone ever again. Truthfully, it's out of fear. He's afraid that if he falls in love, that person will also be taken away from him. He's not about to go back on his words...

So then why is Juvia slowly making her way into his icy heart?

"…because-" Before Gray can finish his sentence, a bottle smacks him in the back of his head. Hard.

It's as if a vein popped in his head. Gray shook with rage. "What… the… hell….?" he says through gritted teeth as he glances at the rumble that's currently happening between many of Fairy Tail's male members. Elfman screams about being a man on the sidelines as Natsu, Gajeel, Jet, Droy, Warren, and even Alzack throw bottles at each other.

Forgetting now what he's about to tell Juvia, Gray yells out to the group. "I'LL SHOW YOU!" And he quickly leaps out of his seat and jumps into the dog pile. He can't pass up an opportunity to beat the crap out of someone.

Juvia watches the display and frowns. She really wants to know what her Gray-sama was going to tell her. '_Just when Gray-sama brought up how him and Juvia held hands…'_

The rest of the night is conventional. The guild continues to party and cheer. well into the late evening. Laughter is heard throughout the room. Even Gajeel has started to sing. His lyrics are good, but his voice is a different story. Not that the members care; most of them are too drunk to realize how terrible he sounds anyway. Levy is one of the few who is not completely wasted, and simply listens to her beloved sing.

Okay. Gajeel is a horrible singer when he's sober. A drunken Gajeel cracks mirrors. Definitely.

Once the clock strikes midnight exactly, members start to head home. By this point, both Gray and Juvia are pretty drunk. Only Juvia, Lucy, Natsu, Erza, Happy, and himself are left in the guild. The ice mage is about to step out of the guild; his face is noticeably red from the alcohol.

"GRAY-SAMAAAA~!" Juvia yells out as she pounces on top of him. "JUVIA DOESN'T WANT YOU TO LEAVE!" she starts to "cry" out in her drunken state.

"ACK! H-HEY!" This is Gray's reaction, as he falls to the floor with her above him. Despite their heads being away from the pair, Natsu, Erza, and Lucy all smirk to themselves.

"If Gray-sama leaves, Juvia will be sad!" the water mage continues to "cry", "Gray-sama never wants to spend time with Juvia!"

Alright. Gray is drunk. But not _that_ drunk.

"Eh…? What the hell, Juvia!? When did I say that!?" He starts to sit up, pushing her up; their bodies still touching. He doesn't care too much about the 'situation' they're in; he doesn't understand why she thinks he doesn't want or like to spend time with her. Haven't they spent plenty of time together throughout the duration they've known each other?

He won't just hold hands with any girl either.

"BECAUSE GRAY-SAMA IGNORES JUVIA."

Oh yes. She is drunk. She can't even answer his question right. Does she really think he ignores her? He admits to himself, maybe he can be a bit nicer, but he can't help who he is.

Gray sighs and gets up, chucking her over his shoulder. "You need to go home." He almost stumbles over himself; he's still tipsy.

"W-what is Gray-sama doing now!?" Her eyes are wide; face red as she covers it with her hands. Gray walks out of the guild with her still over his shoulder.

"Taking you home."

"Just… the two of us...?!" Juvia asks him rather loudly whilst he is progressing further down the road to Fairy Hills.

"What does it look like, baka?" he frowns. He really _is_ trying to prove to her that he doesn't ignore her (much), and that he _wants_ to spend time with her.

_'This woman is impossible.'_

**...**

Back at the guild, the remaining four have started a conversation.

"Aren't they the cutest couple!?" Lucy shrieks with the biggest smile on her face as she claps her hands together in delight.

"Lucy…." Natsu says as he hiccups. "Oi… they aren't a couple… are they?" He hiccups again. "By the way… you have nice eyes."

She sweat drops but blushes; Natsu can be nice when he wants to, right? Lucy has to admit, his comment regarding her eyes is random and has nothing to do with their current topic. "Um… thanks? And I don't think so, but you know what I mean. They're really good together! I wish Gray would man up and just ask her to be his girlfriend." the celestial mage says. "I mean, I wonder what it will take for him to admit how much he cares."

"I tried hinting it to him during the games," Erza comments as the rest of them look at her. "But you know Gray. He's stubborn. He's quiet about subjects like this. However, it's unfair of him to keep Juvia waiting so long."

"HAH! That girl would wait for the ice bastard forever! What a jerk…!" And then Natsu hiccups again. He isn't one to talk though. Natsu is keeping a certain blond waiting too. Lucy glances at the pink haired man quickly. '_Natsu…'_

"How about we all go on a quest tomorrow? We'll ask Gray and Juvia too." the requip mage suggests.

Lucy's ears perk. '_RENT! SHOOT, I FORGOT TO PAY IT AND IT'S DUE TOMORROW.'_

Without a second thought, the brown eyed girl agrees and nudges Natsu's side. "YES! That sounds like a great idea!" she laughs nervously.

"AYE SIR!" Happy cheers aloud.

With this established, they leave the guild to be well rested for tomorrow's mission.

It's going to be a simple one. Or so they think.

**...**

Gray and Juvia arrive at Fairy Hills as he gently lets her down on her feet. She feels dizzy, but is able to stand up.

"Gray-sama…" She looks at him, staring into his onyx eyes.

"Hm?" He stares back. She looks fragile and weak at the moment, but looks are deceiving. Juvia is the third strongest female in Fairy Tail, only slightly below Mirajane and Erza. Though the young rivalry is long gone, the top two females unintentionally compete for the top spot.

She hugs him.

It's not an ordinary hug; Juvia puts all of her feelings and emotions in this one. She is not sloppily glomping him or smothering him. This is a true, genuine hug.

"Thank you… for making sure Juvia got home." Her eyes are closed as she rests her head on his muscular chest. Although she makes him flustered once again, dark bangs cover his eyes as he shows a soft smile and returns her embrace.

He swears that his arms move by themselves.

"Yeah… sure." He can't help the words he chooses. It's the way he is, and Juvia won't have him any other way. That's because she knew it was Gray's way of saying '_you're welcome'._

Though she can't help but fantasize about her Gray-sama confessing to her... Of course.

He breaks the contact. "Get some sleep, Juvia."

"Juvia will. Goodnight, Gray-sama." She smiles as she turns and makes her way into the apartment complex.

He is left there, his eyes glued to her walking form. "Sleep well… Juvia."

Gray sighs. Everything is just too complicated for him; he hates such things. The raven haired man walks home alone, his mind full of thoughts concerning a certain water mage.

Tomorrow is a new day.

**...**

The following morning, everyone is back to their normal routine. _Most_ of them are hung over, though.

Natsu yawns and stretches his arms. "What a good sleep I had!"

"AYE!" Happy complies joyfully, pumping his small paw in the air.

Lucy is shaking. "That's….because… YOU STOLE MY BED!" she yells, steam blowing out of her ears.

"Natsu slept over Lucy's place, huh?" Mirajane comments, smirking.

"I-It's not like that!" the celestial mage replies waving her hands around.

Erza grins at the scene but remembers what the group decided last night. "Natsu, Lucy. Which quest should we take?" she asks them as she walks over to the request board.

The two follow her; studying the board.

"The one that pays good!" Lucy can afford only to think of her rent.

"I want this one!" Natsu points to a piece of paper on the board. The mission objective is to capture a mage known for… killing mice and eating them.

Erza and Lucy sweat drop.

"HOW ABOUT NOT." she blond girl screams in Natsu's ears, making him cover them.

"Why not!? It will be easy! We just saved the entire future! I don't know about you, but an easy quest for rent money sounds ideal to me," he defends himself.

"It's not even enough for rent, Natsu! And besides… that's… disgusting." She pictures a hairy, fat man killing mice and chewing on their heads. She shivers at the thought.

Gray overhears their conversation and decides to butt in. He walks over to where Natsu, Lucy, and Erza are standing. "What about this one?"

The quest Gray points to can pay for all of their rent combined. It is reported that a dark guild has been running around Magnolia, attacking civilians and leaving their mark. Two dark, small circles appear on the victim's neck once they are attacked. Those victims become weak, as if their life force has been drained. Only those in this dark guild can reverse this curse. Many are in hospitals, and the only other way to save them is to defeat those who attacked the people.

Erza looks it over. "Actually, this is a good quest. We can save the people of Magnolia and put an end to this dark guild… But I've never heard of them before."

"They're an independent dark guild."

The group turns to Juvia, who is standing behind them.

"You know about them?" the scarlet haired woman asks her.

She nods. "They are called Burning Ember. Juvia has known of them since she was a little girl. They were a very low key guild, so no one thought much of them. The reason Juvia knows about them is because the majority of the members specialize in fire magic. Their weakness… is water."

"That's right. Water over fire…" Lucy stares at Juvia in amazement. "But then how do you know so much, Juvia?"

"Juvia doesn't know anything else. She doesn't know why they attacked the innocent or how the curse works. She knows about their fire magic because some of their members would train at the lake that Juvia would, to make themselves stronger against water."

"That makes sense. It looks like we need you to come with us. Will you, Juvia?" Erza asks the water mage. "You'll be the biggest help." She also smiles. They planned to ask both Gray and Juvia regardless, but this worked out perfectly.

"Ano… Juvia will help as much as possible! She wants to be useful!" The blue haired woman nods to herself, but then looks at Gray, who is trying to take everything in. Little did she know, he is impressed with the amount Juvia knows. '_Gray-sama and Juvia will be separated… Juvia really wants to go on a quest alone with him…'_

"Good. And since it was you who suggested this quest, you will be coming with us too, Gray."

"Huh!?" He _really_ wants a break now; if he _didn't_, Gray would have obliged to Juvia's request yesterday. The ice mage opens his mouth to decline, then sees _her_ face. Juvia gives him a pleading look. Something inside him tells him that he has to go with them. It's a strange feeling that Gray can't put his finger on.

"Please, Gray-sama?" She blinks and gives him puppy dog eyes.

He gulps.

"…..Fine."

And then she clings to him.

They aren't going to be apart after all.

**...**

The team of five, and Happy, rent a horse carriage for transportation to the most recent area attacked by the independent dark guild. Lucy sits next to Natsu, who is of course, nauseous.

Gray and Juvia sit beside each other, both watching the celestial mage as she tends to the dragon slayer's motion sickness. Erza is in the front, guiding the horse.

"He really needs to work on that." Gray, who has unconsciously stripped his shirt, commented dutifully. His arms cross as he gives a look of disappointment.

Juvia takes a glimpse at her love. His stripping habit will never fade. She wishes it occured less often though. When Gray fought Rufus of Sabertooth during the tournament, Juvia watched him strip in front of the entire audience from the big screen. She could only blush and cover her face; embarrassed. Not only that, but she does not want anyone else to fall for her Gray-sama. Even men hit on him…

"YOUR CLOTHES, GRAY!" Lucy yells, taking the words right out of Juvia's mouth.

"EH? WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?"

The carriage comes to an abrupt stop, causing the guild members, except Erza, to fly out of their seats.

"Ack!" Juvia slams into Gray's side, causing him to fall forward.

"Juvia is sorry, Gray-sama!" She blushes whilst regaining her composure.

"What the…" Instead of responding to Juvia, Gray shouts loudly to make sure his voice can reach the front of the carriage. "ERZA! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?"

Said mage looks back and gives Gray a death stare. Her eyes scream 'I will kill you'.

This made Gray cower in fear.

He shuts up.

"We're here," she says with a rigid voice and jumps off the carriage. The group in the back come out as well.

"This place… looks deserted." Gray states, quite obviously. It is on the outskirts of Magnolia; a desert area. They can tell there had been attacks here from destroyed houses and broken shop windows.

"Lets take a look around," Erza says. They all nod and start to walk until an old woman appears behind them.

"Excuse me? Are you mages?" she asks them in her small, raspy voice.

Natsu can't resist answering without even thinking of who asked, "Hell yeah we are! I'm a dragon slayer!" He grins.

"I'm Lucy, a celestial mage. And this is Happy!" she says as she points to the flying cat.

"AYE!"

The old woman doesn't seem too interested, but then turns to Juvia. "And you are…?"

"Juvia is a water mage. She was known as the rain woman before; Juvia of the sea." The blue haired woman responds.

'_Water mage…? Excellent…' _The old woman clears her throat. "Oh thank goodness! Then maybe you can stop those monsters! This dark guild uses fire magic… water is fire's greatest weakness. Juvia-san, please come with me!"

"Hold on. Who are you?" For some reason, Gray doesn't trust this old hag as much as everyone else. He isn't about to let Juvia go with her without an explanation. And why only Juvia? Won't they be more successful with five mages instead of one?

"I am a mere old woman, living in what used to be a peaceful and lively town. Until those bastards came and cursed everyone… even killed some." She looks down. "I can show you the pathways to their hideout."

"I don't really-" the ice mage starts, but is interrupted by Erza.

"Please show us."

The old woman nods. "Follow me."

The group walks behind her, mostly quiet. Gray, who is walking next to Erza, looks at her pointedly. "What was that for?" With fierce eyes, he is evidently not happy fabout the disrupted sentence.

"Relax. We're going to get to the bottom of this. This is a start," she whispered to him.

He sighs, an unsettling feeling in his gut. He suddenly finds the ground interesting...

"Here we are."

The group stops before a huge opening; like a tunnel. Unfortunately, there isn't just one tunnel.

There are five.

"I am not sure which of the five pathways leads to their hideout. But this is where they escaped after they tormented our town," the old woman says.

Erza nods. "There are five pathways and five of us. We will split up and investigate."

"That's a good idea. One of us should be able to either find where those idiots are hiding, or at least gather more information." Natsu replies. "YUSH! I'M ALL FIRED UP!"

Juvia seems indifferent, but accepts the proposal. Gray and Lucy glance at each other, both concerned.

"Gray…? I don't know if this is a good idea…" she says quietly to him so no one else will hear.

"You too? Something just doesn't feel right. Something's off."

"I'M GOING IN THE FIRST ONE!" The fire dragon slayer shouts and runs toward the first pathway.

Everyone sweat drops.

"T-Then Juvia will take the second one!" The water mage tells them. She looks at Gray, determined, and then starts to walk to the second path.

"WHAT THE HELL!?"

Everyone looks at Natsu who has reappeared, apparently rejected from the first pathway.

"Magic?" Lucy asks.

"A barrier," Erza states.

"Juvia-san… Maybe you should take the first pathway instead." the old woman suggests.

Gray's bad feeling gets worse. "Why her?" he asks, sternly.

"A water mage might be able to get through."

"Gray-sama…" She walks over to him and puts a hand on his face, cupping his cheek. She stares into his eyes. "Juvia will be fine. She will definitely come back and meet with everyone!"

She smiles.

He frowns.

"…Yeah."

"Alright, let's go." Erza states as she walks into the third pathway. Natsu switches with Juvia, and he takes the second one whilst she, indeed, is able to pass through the first. Gray takes the forth one, whilst Lucy takes the fifth.

The old woman watches until they are out of sight. She smirks and laughs evilly to herself. Her form suddenly changes as she transforms into a red haired man with black markings all over his body.

"Those fools…" the man says to himself. "The dark guild, Burning Ember, will be the most powerful… And we will have a water mage."

He then vanishes.

**...**

Juvia walks down the corridor. '_Where could this lead to…?'_

A voice breaks her thoughts. "Well well well… what's this? A beautiful woman walking down this pathway all alone?"

She instantly gets into attack mode. "Show yourself!"

The voice comes out from the shadows and reveals itself. Juvia notices the guild mark on his shoulder.

"B-Burning Ember…" There is no doubt in her mind that this man belonged to the dark guild. "Why have you been attacking the innocent!?"

"We will be the most powerful." He is a dark haired man; very tall and muscular. "And you will join us."

"Juvia would _**never**_."

"You don't have a choice, sweetie. Or should I say… water mage."

"How do… you know?"

"I have my resources." He cackles.

"Then you should know what your own weakness is!" Juvia screams out as she prepares for an attack. "Water- huh?!" she gasps. Her magic… she can't feel it. Not at all.

"Congratulations. You chose the path that disables magic. Well, not mine of course. Your water attacks would have been effective… if you could USE them! Hahahaha!" He laughs and moves his hands, preparing his own magic.

She is in trouble. Deep, deep trouble.

**...**

In the fourth pathway, Gray stops in his tracks. He clenches his chest. Why won't this bad feeling go away?

He shakes his head and continues to roam the tunnel. He comes to a dead end. "Damn it…"

It looks as if it used to lead to something, but is covered in rocks. He sighs again and starts to turn back until he hears a mumbled voice.

"Is someone there!? Please… help me!"

Gray whips back around and runs toward the source of the voice, coming from a pile of rocks. "Oi! Are you under these!?"

He hears more mumbles and he starts to move the rocks around in order to free whoever it is stuck below them. "This isn't working…" The rocks are too heavy... But then an idea hit him.

"Sorry about this, but bear with me. ICE MAKE: FREEZE!" he yells and ice engulfs the rocks. If he can freeze them, it will be easier to break them. "And now…." Gray summons all his power to his fist and slams it down hard on the rocks, destroying them all.

He is proud of his work, and hears the voice again.

"T-Thank you so much!" it squeaks. Gray faces a young boy, probably around the age of twelve. "I thought that no one would come!" He is extremely grateful and the ice mage smiles.

"It's no problem. But what are you doing here, kid? What happened?"

The boy looks down as tears fill his eyes. "My parents… they are cursed by that dark guild's power. My whole town… is destroyed… I want to save everyone…"

Gray listens intently. He understands the boy's pain well; he, himself, tried to get revenge for his own parents and town.

"But I was tricked."

"What do you mean you were tricked?" Gray asks. He can feel his heart beat faster.

"An old lady brought me here… she told me I could find the master of Burning Ember if I took this path… but she lied… I think she just wanted me dead." Tears run down his face.

Gray's eyes become wide. '_An old lady…? It couldn't be… '_

"If anyone went down that first path, they're in trouble. That path disables the magic of their greatest weakness, so it makes it easier for them to win." the boy continues as he cries.

The ice mage almost falls to the floor. His bad feeling. He was right all along. They never should have trusted that old woman.

Then he remembers who took that path.

...

"_Juvia-san… Maybe you should take the first pathway instead."_

_..._

"_Gray-sama… Juvia will be fine. She will definitely come back and meet with everyone!"_

_..._

"JUVIA!" Gray yells out as he starts to run. He has to reach her. He has to. He doesn't care about the boy anymore, but mentally thanks him and hopes he gets out of there safe. Right now, all he wants is to see Juvia. _Just her._

'_Please… please… be okay… I can't lose you…'_

He continues to run as fast as his legs can carry him. Whilst he is running, another memory flashes in his mind.

...

"_Don't let _**her**_ leave your side. If you do, you'll make the biggest mistake of your life and live with regret forever."_

_..._

He gasps. Future Lucy's words aren't just a coincidence. How could he of been so stupid? Why doesn't he ever trust his gut? They should have never split up. And now all he can do is pray… pray that she's alright before he gets to her.

_'I'll protect you… I'll save you… I promise… Wait for me, Juvia!'_

_…_

_…_

_…_

**A/N:** Well that was a bit longer than the last chapter! More action too; we're getting somewhere now. Will Gray make it in time? Why does Burning Ember want a water mage? Hm…

Also, I didn't link it in the first chapter, but my Gruvia Manifesto is linked on my profile. If you want to read a comprehensive essay exploring the development between Gray and Juvia in the manga (chapters 1-322), then check it out! :D I'd paste the link here, but this site doesn't allow URLs for some reason? Never understood why.

And to the guest who reviewed asking if they could make a comic of this fanfiction… It would be an honor and completely awesome! It's too bad you don't have an account on here, so I can't properly speak with you.

Once again, thank you **darkdreamerx** for being my awesome beta and best friend. Love you!

Feedback, comments, suggestions, etc… all appreciated when you hit the review button…. ;o


	3. Chapter Three

**A/N: **Warning – A lot of flashbacks in this chapter. Sorry, but I don't want to rush the story. Besides, they'll give you Gruvia FEELS.

**Summary:** [POST-GMG] The Grand Magic Games are over, and the future is saved. After all that's happened, Gray finally decides to swallow his pride. Gray x Juvia (Gruvia).

...

...

...

**Pride Isn't Everything**

_Chapter Three_

Gray Fullbuster is panting. He's breathing hard, and his heart is beating extremely fast as he dashes through the dark tunnel.

_'I should have never let her leave my side. I was an idiot; so stupid! DAMN IT!'_

He doesn't care how exhausted he is. Gray will not stop running until he finds her. Nothing will stop him.

Juvia's smiling face flashes into his mind. He starts to briefly think about many of his first interactions he's had with her.

…

_Gray ran to the top of the roof. It started to rain, but he knew Phantom Lord must be stopped._

_A woman?_

_"Juvia of the element four; the woman of the rain. Pitter patter." She stares at him._

_"Sorry, it doesn't matter if you're a woman or child. I don't go easy on anyone who hurts my comrades." He tells her._

_She blushes. "Y-Yes… I have lost this battle… farewell."_

_What the hell was up with that!? This is a weird woman. _

_After the real battle, she admits defeat. _

_He looks at her. "How do you feel? Have you cooled off?"_

_The sun comes out._

_"Hey! The rain stopped!" _

_"A clear sky… it's beautiful…" Juvia is amazed._

_He turns to look at her again; his handsome features clearly shown. "So… do you want to continue?"_

_She faints._

…

_"Gray-sama…?"_

_"Hm?"_

_"I tagged along…"_

_"Y-You're… huh!?"_

_Gray was the first person that Juvia saw in the casino. She had been stalking him for quite a bit, but finally decided to show herself. They sat together at a table._

_"I guess you have your eyes set on Fairy Tail, huh?"_

_"Very much so!" She squeals._

_Then Simon attacks them._

_She protects him._

_"Juvia won't let you lay a finger on Gray-sama!"_

…

_"This is our newest member, Juvia! Cute, ain't she?" The master tells everybody._

_"HAHAHA! So you really joined up, huh!?" Gray gives her the biggest smile. He is genuinely happy to see she joined the guild._

_"Juvia will do her best!"_

_A reporter came._

_"Don't call me a pervert!" Gray points a finger to him._

_"Gray-sama! Your underwear is…!" Juvia is laughing._

…

_"Sorry, the master wants me to take care of her."_

_"Juvia and Gray-sama are going on a mission alone!" She snickers._

…

His heart is still beating rapidly. Gray finally comes to the beginning of the tunnel where the group took their pathways.

"The first one…" He moves quickly and is able to pass through the first pathway. Perhaps the original barrier had been broken once Juvia went in. Once he gets far enough, Gray starts to yell her name.

"JUVIA! OI!" He calls out to her, but receives no answer.

And so he runs further and faster.

**…**

"GHAH!" Juvia is thrown against the wall. The impact knocks the wind out of her as she falls to the floor. She is badly beaten and bruised. It's because she cannot use her magic, no matter how hard she tries. The water mage keeps attempting to use something, but nothing happens. She flinches due to the pain of severe burns. She takes hits from the man's fire magic.

"You're stronger than I thought. Why do you withstand me?" The dark haired man asks her in a gruesome tone.

Juvia starts to weakly stand up, her knees slightly bent and her head down. Her beautiful, long, wavy hair covers her face as she responds. "Because… Juvia is a Fairy Tail mage. No one messes with Fairy Tail!" She looks up at him angrily.

"Hm…" He licks his lips. "You're a gorgeous woman. Your water magic will be an excellent addition to our guild too."

"Why do you want a water mage!? You specialize in fire magic!" She yells.

"That's for us to know. You don't need to worry about that."

They're a heartless dark guild with no love for their comrades. Juvia did not know why they wanted her, nor their intentions. She knew it wasn't for justice; that she is sure of.

"You must reverse the curse on those innocent people!" She pleads. "It's not fair for them to suffer because of your selfish desires!"

"Selfish?" The man raises his eye brow, and jolts forward; his hand grasping Juvia's neck. He is choking her, as she struggles to breathe.

"Maybe… you need to be caught a lesson…" He opens his mouth; teeth showing. Her eyes become wide, as he bites down hard on her neck.

Juvia screams as loud as she can while being strangled. The man lifts his face up as two small, dark circles appear on her neck. He lets her go and she drops to the floor.

Blood drips from her mouth to her chin. She weakly looks up, her vision blurry, and eyes threatening to close. _'Please… someone…Gray-sama…'_

"Now… you come with me." He grabs Juvia again; this time by her hair. Suddenly, he is struck down. A hard fist slams into his gut, making him gasp for air and fall to the floor. One punch disables his movements; that's how powerful it is. He loses grip of Juvia, as she too drops to the ground; motionless.

The enemy coughs. "What the hell was that!? I feel like a train hit me." He eyes another man, who is standing in front of the water mage.

"…Juvia?" Gray's eyes are blank. He stares at her lifeless form. He puts his hands on the sides of his head. "No… no…"

Her eyes are closed. She is unconscious, bleeding, pale, and burns cover her limbs. Gray notices the dark circles on her neck; the mark of Burning Ember's curse.

"JUVIA!" He screams as he takes her into his arms. "Juvia! Juvia! Hang in there! Please, wake up! YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP!"

No response.

"FUCK!" Gray cries out as he brings her even closer to his chest. Her head rests in the crook of his neck as he hugs her tightly; dark bangs covering his eyes.

She is cursed. They got her.

And he failed her.

The ice mage feels his eyes getting watery, but stops any tears from falling. He then hears laughter.

"Heh heh heh. She's done for, boy. The only way to save her is to defeat our master, but you won't. Heh heh heh."

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SPEAK, LYING ON THE FLOOR LIKE A WEAK PIECE OF SHIT." Gray is angry, bitter, and upset. He can't lose her. He just can't. He lost everyone he ever loved.

Wait… love?

"Her life force is being taken away as we speak, boy. She doesn't have much time left. She will be just like all the others… Unless you hand her over. Let her join us, and she will be saved automatically."

"Like hell! Juvia will never join you! She's a fighter… she won't give up. She won't…"

"Keep telling yourself that, boy. You can save her life now by giving her up. Otherwise, she will die."

"SHUT. UP." He screams as he leans Juvia against a wall for a short moment. "ICE MAKE: GEYSER!"

_'Our master is different.'_ The man smirks as he is impaled with ice.

Gray quickly picks Juvia up and starts to run out of the tunnel. He doesn't know where he is going; he simply ran. He holds her in his arms; gripping her for dear life.

He turns a corner and comes to a dead end. _'Kuso…!'_

The raven haired man continues to run. It's now pitch dark in the pathway, as he tries to make his way back to the beginning where they started. He decides once he makes it out of the tunnel, he had to take Juvia to Porlyusica.

_'There has to be a cure… There just has to be… Even so, I have to defeat their master… Failure is not an option! And once she's safe… I…'_ He just wants to hear her voice. He wants to hear her say "Gray-sama!" with a beautiful smile. Never in his life until this point did he regret ignoring her feelings so much.

She needed him. And he needed her.

He would save her, even if that meant he would die. Gray didn't care as long as she lives. Though… a thought flashes in his mind.

_"You don't die for your comrades… you live for them."_

That statement is true. He had to make it out alive. That way, he could live a life with Juvia. Him and her.

Together.

**…**

"I wonder what's taking Gray and Juvia so long…" Lucy says out loud, as she stares at the five tunnels in which they began at.

Erza, Natsu, and she had no luck in finding any information at all. The pathways they went down either took them to a dead end within a mile, or another magic barrier preventing them from going any further.

"I'm sure they're fine." Natsu states as he yawns. "I'm wondering where that ugly old hag went."

"N-Natsu! That's not very nice…." The blond replies, embarrassed of his choice of words.

"He's right though." Erza pitches in. "She just disappeared out of nowhere, and we didn't really get anything out of this. Perhaps the hideout is beyond the magic barrier I encountered. The thing is, it was very dark. I couldn't tell if there was anything beyond it."

Both Natsu and Lucy nod.

'_What is their goal…?' _They all think in unison. However, that train of thought is broken with the sound of accelerated footsteps approaching them.

"Y-You… you guys…!"

They are quick to see an out of breath Gray, carrying a benumbed Juvia. All of their eyes become huge as they run to him near the first pathway.

"GRAY!" Erza calls out to him.

"JUVIA!" Lucy follows the call out as she gasps. "Oh gosh, Juvia! I-Is she okay!?"

"This reeks of those imbeciles." Natsu looks at the water mage in Gray's arms. The dragon slayer knew fire magic anywhere, as it's his specialty.

"Hey, look!" The scarlet haired mage points to Juvia's neck, where the dark circles are show cased.

"This is…" Lucy starts, but cannot finish.

"Their curse." The pink haired man completes her sentence for her.

Gray is apathetic and silent throughout most of the discussion. He is drowning out their voices as a million things are going through his head. The most important thing is saving Juvia.

"OI, GRAY! OI!" Natsu finally gets in his face. "SNAP OUT OF IT!"

All three of them, including Happy, keep trying to get Gray to talk. They call his name, and even shake his shoulders. It took at least five minutes before he finally spoke.

"I… couldn't save her." His eyes are empty, once again. "I couldn't reach her in time." He squeezes his eyes shut while making his grip on Juvia tighter.

Lucy's eyes start to water. "She.. is she…?"

Natsu places a hand on Lucy's shoulder and looks at her. "She's still alive. Lucy, don't worry. We will fix this." She smiles and nods as Natsu turns to a broken Gray. "Oi… What happened to you? You may be an idiot, but at least you don't give up. I thought you didn't, at least."

"Natsu's right, Gray. You need to be strong." Erza knows how much Gray cares about Juvia. She also knows the feeling of being unable to save someone you love. She walks over to him and places a hand over his. This makes the ice mage open his eyes and glimpse at the scarlet haired women.

Gray and Erza have a strong bond. They have been friends since they were younger. When Erza first joined the guild, she could say that Gray was her first real friend. She had a rivalry with Mirajane, but the raven haired boy always looked out for her; comforted her. And now she wanted to return the favor.

He wasn't pleased with Natsu's earlier comment but decides to address it later. So he simply nods his head. "I'm taking her to Porlyusica now. And those bastards… I'll kill them all… I swear…" He clenches his fist.

"Let's go!" Natsu says as he starts to run to the horse carriage they originally took. Unfortunately, Porlyusica's place is too far to travel by foot. The group takes off with Erza pushing the horse to run as fast as possible; Juvia stays in Gray's arms the entire ride there.

**…**

"This isn't too good." Porlyusica examines Juvia from the bed she is laying in. The rest of the group that brought her there stood around the bed, watching the scene. "This curse is draining her energy so much that her life is in danger."

"Porlyusica-san… please… there has to be a way to help her…" Lucy comments, looking at the old woman with pleading eyes.

"The only thing I can do is maintain the energy she has left for as long as I can. Aside from that, she has to fight. This girl is strong; she's trying very hard not to give in."

"Of course she's strong!" Gray raises his voice, making the rest of the group stare at him. "Juvia is… she will live! She'll beat this thing… no matter what. That dark guild is going down. I'll put an end to them, save Juvia, and all the other civilians!" He's looking straight at Porlyusica with determination in his eyes.

She smiles and closes her eyes. "You must really care about her, young man."

Gray's eyes went wide, as a small blush tints his cheeks. He looks at the floor, trying to come up with an excuse.

He can't find one.

"It's getting late. There's nothing else we can do tonight. We don't have any more information, so we must go back to that town again during daylight. We'll leave Juvia in your care, Porlyusica-san." Erza saves Gray from his predicament. "Tomorrow we will set out again."

"What do you mean tomorrow!?" Natsu takes the words right out of Gray's mouth. "We can't wait! We have to start NOW."

Erza slams her fist into Natsu's head. He yelps in pain, holding his head as she grabs him and bows. "Thank you for your time. We will be back tomorrow to see Juvia and her status before we continue the mission." With that said, she makes her way out of the small house in the woods, dragging a rebellious Natsu along with her.

Knowing that they were out of options for the night and that Porlyusica would take good care of Juvia, Lucy starts to follow them. She quickly turns around to see that Gray hadn't moved or taken his eyes off of the unconscious water mage.

"Hey… Gray? Are you coming?"

He lifts his head up a bit and simply shakes it. "No… you go ahead. I'm going to stay here for a bit longer." He says, still keeping his eyes locked on Juvia.

The celestial mage smiles sadly. She knows it's hard for him; it's hard for them all. When Lucy first met Gray, she thought his stripping habit was weird and perverted. Nevertheless, he was a nice guy with a laid back, but somewhat closed up personality. He was one of her first good friends in the guild, and it pained her to see him this way.

"Alright… but don't be too late. I'm sure Erza will want to leave early tomorrow! Heh…"

He stays silent.

"LUCYYYYY! WHERE ARE YOUUUUU!?"

"AYEEEEE!"

She sighs as she hears Natsu calling her. Though she has to admit, she likes how he always remembers her. "Coming, Natsu! Um… Goodnight Gray, Porlyusica-san!" She starts to run out of the house. _'Juvia… You mean a lot to us… and Gray… He needs you. Please hold on a bit longer…'_

Gray sits on the edge of the bed, looking at the machine that Juvia is currently hooked up to. Porlyusica said that she will maintain Juvia's energy and life force as long as possible. She has a breathing mask on, and tubes attached to her body.

The old woman decides to let Gray stay as long as he wants, and walks out the door in order to give them privacy. This goes unnoticed by the raven haired man regardless.

Before he realizes it, his hand makes its way over to hers. He gently caresses it. He's careful; knowing she can easily break.

"Hey… Juvia." His voice is shaky, and he keeps his grip on her hand as he gazes at her pale face. "Do you remember when we were selected to participate in the S-class exam on Tenrou Island? That was really 7 years ago, but it seems so much shorter since we skipped the time completely… Heh."

She didn't reply. He knew she wouldn't, but he hoped that if he kept talking, she would wake up and say his name.

Earlier, Gray had recalled his first interactions with Juvia. For some reason, now he is recollecting everything else.

…

_"This part of the exam requires a partner."Makarov tells everyone. "The only requirements are that they can't already be S-Class and they must be a Fairy Tail mage. Good luck!"_

_The selected mages, along with everyone else in the guild are busy talking about the exam. Some have already chosen their partners._

_"Um… Juvia wants to forfeit the exam." She tells those who sat around her._

_"EH!? WHY!?" Wendy shrieks._

_"Because Juvia wants to be…"_

_"What?" Gray asks her, confused. Why is she acting so weird? _

_"Because um… Juvia wants to…" She stutters._

_"She wants to become your partner." Lucy smirks as she puts her hand over her mouth, leaning into Gray._

_"Huh?" _

_It did make sense. Gray wasn't completely oblivious, but he had already chosen his partner. Besides that, he wanted to fight Juvia earnestly. _

_"So this means you've got to fight me seriously. Let's have a heated battle for once in awhile."_

_That statement sent Juvia off into dream world._

_…_

"Remember when you wanted to be my partner? Well… truthfully speaking, I wouldn't have minded that if we both weren't chosen to participate already. But since we were, I really wanted to fight you again! I meant that… I wanted it to be like old times, but much better… you know?" Gray laughs a bit, using his free hand to scratch the back of his head.

"Also, when you didn't show up after the first round, I wondered where you were… I even asked the master if you failed! It was just unfortunate you got stuck fighting Erza."

He continues speaking to her as if she could hear him. He tells her all the unspoken things he never did in the past.

"At one point during the exam, I felt like we were connected. I can't really describe it, but I remember my face being really red and that's how you are sometimes… I also felt more emotions and it was raining! So I put it all together and thought of you afterwards. Did you know that Ultear tried to trick me? She wanted me to believe that it was Ur's wish she was carrying out. I didn't believe a damn thing she said, but I let her go. I followed her to find out her true intentions…"

…

_The raven haired man overhears Meredy and Ultear's conversation. So that's what they want Zeref for… _

_"Who's this woman?"_

_Gray's heart almost stops._

_"Juvia. She's Gray's friend." Meredy replies._

_Ultear raises her weapon above the unconscious water mage and to her throat._

_"W-What are you…?!"_

_"I'm going to kill her, of course."_

_"But… she doesn't have any fighting spirit left!"_

_Meredy tries to argue. However, Ultear doesn't care._

_"Shut up. No part of Gray will see the future. Whether he's killed by Hades or dies by Iced Shell. If you live any longer, you'll have to go through the loss of a friend!" She thrashes down her weapon, but is stopped by ice._

_Ultear and Meredy gasp in shock, as Gray takes Juvia into his arms; saving her. _

_And he's angry. Very angry._

_"I… figured it was something like this." He gives them a death glare. He made sure to tell them that he would live with his comrades before punching the bitch. Not only that, but Meredy started to run away. They couldn't let her get away with Zeref!_

_"Juvia, snap out of it!" Gray knew that Juvia was strong. She had to wake up eventually._

_On cue, she wakes up with hearts in her eyes. "Gray-sama's voice…!"_

_She starts to wonder what kind of sun-kissed sheets she's laying in right now due to being awakened by his voice. Gray doesn't care for such things at the moment, so he simply tells her to forget about it and go after them._

_"Yes!" She obeys him, though falls down because of her injured leg._

_"Juvia!" He yells out in concern._

_"Yeah, Juvia knows." She winces in pain, but continues to crawl, determined to catch them. "If it's Gray-sama's orders, pain like this is nothing…!"_

_He is bewildered. Gray watches Juvia for so long that Ultear takes advantage and lands a kick on him._

_…_

"When I saw you just lying there, I got really scared. I didn't know what happened to you! And then Ultear was about to hurt you... no... kill you… I gave up my hiding spot in a heartbeat. There was no way I was going to let something happen to you!" He then realizes that's exactly what happened today.

His dark bangs cover his eyes. "Actually, I shouldn't say that… I should have been there for you today. I could have saved you. But I…"

Something wet hit his hand, which is still holding hers. A single tear fell, but Gray quickly uses his other hand to wipe his eyes, making sure no other ones come.

"Juvia, I promise I'll protect you from now on." This isn't the first time he's been worried for her. Oh no, there have been plenty.

…

_They did it. Hades was defeated, and everyone has met up again. The members are overjoyed, but Gray felt something was missing. He desperately turns in all different directions, searching for __**her**__._

_"Is something wrong, Gray?" Fried asks him._

_"How's Juvia?"_

_"She didn't come back to the camp."_

_'Is she alright? What happened with Zeref?' He thinks to himself._

_They are about to head back to the camp, but Gray still can't stop thinking about her._

_'Juvia…'_

_After a while, he finally hears a voice he's wanted to hear the entire time._

_"Hey… you… guys…"_

_"Juvia!" Erza calls out her name._

_"You're okay!?" Gray can't help but ask. That's all he's been wondering about._

_"Juvia is soooo sorry… Juvia let Zeref get away! Gray-sama please punish me! Give it to me however you like… Waahh~!"_

_"I-I don't have those kinds of hobbies!"_

_Her mind is seriously warped. He was concerned for her safety, but all she went on about was how she failed and punishment. _

…

He chuckles at the memory. "Sometimes I really don't understand you."

What else happened on the island? Oh, right. They almost died.

"Your leg hurt bad, huh? We had to run away from that monster dragon, so I picked you up. I know you were surprised… I guess I was too. In the end, all of us made it thanks to Mavis."

Seven years pass. They learn about events that had happened during their absence.

And then the tournament started.

…

_"Gray-sama!" _

_The ice mage turns his head around to see Juvia standing happily in front of him._

_"Juvia… why are you here?"_

_"Juvia is not the only one. We all came here to cheer for you!" She continues. "Well… what about having lunch with me… only you and me…"_

_"Mmmm… I feel kinda hungry now." It was his way of saying 'yes'. He didn't mind going for lunch with Juvia alone. _

_Unfortunately, their plans are ruined. "Well, there's a pretty good restaurant on this street." Lyon suddenly appears behind them out of nowhere, rather creepily. _

_"Lyon-sama!?"_

_The white haired ice mage puts an arm around her shoulders and starts to guide her away. "And we can have some fun in the aquarium…"_

_Juvia didn't really know how to react. "Um… er… wait…"_

_"YOU! STOP! DON'T TAKE AWAY __**MY**__ MEMBER!"_

_That's right. Juvia is "his" member. She belongs to Fairy Tail… and him._

…

"To be honest, Juvia… I was pretty disappointed when Lyon showed up. He just _had_ to join us for lunch. And had the nerve to try and make a bet on you! Not that it made any sense… I just couldn't agree to it."

Gray's free hand makes its way to her face. He touches the side of it lightly, playing with her long, wavy hair for a short while.

"I didn't care all that much when Lyon first started making moves on you... I was mostly annoyed at him in general. But then it got to the point where I was more than annoyed. It bothered me. I'm still trying to figure out why…"

Speaking of Lyon, it really pissed him off when he carried Juvia away from him at the pool. It wasn't as though Gray didn't _want_ to ride the so called 'love slide' with her… He was embarrassed, and didn't want to admit anything. So he simply yelled that he wasn't going as a reaction, not even aware of the blush on his face at the time. How did that translate into an invitation for Lyon to take her away again? Gray wasn't about to let that happen, so all three of them ended up at the top of the slide. Unfortunately… the two ice mages accidently rode the ride together, much to their displeasure.

_'That was awful…'_

On another note, he had to say, Gray was both shocked and happy at the same time that Juvia made it onto Fairy Tail's Team B. He was even happier when she told him she didn't plan to lose to him in the first event. That's what he wanted ever since the S-Class exam; for her to take him seriously.

He then remembers her panicking about Lucy and himself being 'alone' on the first night.

"Even though we've told you countless times, I'm telling you again. Lucy isn't your love rival. You… don't have any love rivals." He gives a soft smile.

…

_Gray is walking alone, wondering what was up with Lyon and Juvia snatching him away like that. He sighs but then sees Erza alone on the balcony. _

_"What's wrong, Erza? Why are you here alone?"_

_She turns to look at him as he ends up standing next to her, also leaning over the edge._

_"Gray… Nothing. Why are you here alone?"_

_"I was caught up in some messy stuff that's going on between Lyon and Juvia." _

_"Messy stuff?"_

_He stares off into space. Gray didn't like to be involved in such sloppy situations. _

_The scarlet haired mage presses on. "I wasn't there. But I could imagine what you were talking about."_

_He wasn't going to fool her. Erza was too smart. She gives him a knowing smile and all he does is furrow his brow and frown._

_"You should have sensed Juvia's feelings for you by now… Why don't you make everything clear?"_

_Gray is unable to answer. Instead, he turns away with that sour look on his face. However, it is different this time. This time, he is __**blushing**__._

…

"I guess… I should have given you an answer before. I'm sorry I never told you. I'm sorry I left you hanging. I'm not good at this stuff… The truth is, I didn't know what I felt. I didn't know how to handle your feelings or mine. I still don't! I'm trying… I'm trying to figure it all out. This is the most I've ever let out before."

It's true. Gray Fullbuster was never one to drop his tough guy act in front of anyone. The only time he let it slip was on Galuna Island. Ever since then, he held up his reputation as being an 'ice' mage.

"Maybe… Maybe I did give you an answer though. Not a direct one, but something..."

…

_So Lyon and Chelia would be their opponents. At first Gray thought he didn't have time for this. However, he accepted it and figured this would be a good opportunity to show his rival who's stronger._

_"We'll take care of you at once."_

_That line causes something to go off in Juvia's head. "Where would you like our honeymoon to be, Gray-sama?"_

_"Just how many screws are loose in that head of yours!?" He makes sure not to actually deny the implication, but why is she thinking about such things at a time like this?_

_The battle begins as Lyon attempts to attack Gray. He avoids the attack and calls out to Juvia, who already knows what to do. They use a combination of ice and water attacks, but are cancelled out by Chelia._

_"Lyon! Attack Juvia too!"_

_"I leave that to you… But don't wound her."_

_This doesn't go unnoticed by Gray._

_"Was Lyon-sama always so strong…?" Juvia asks, eyes wide._

_"But their team work isn't working. We have a chance." Gray wipes blood away from his mouth. It's never going to be just him in this fight. It will always be "we", or "we'll". The two of them together; working in unison._

_Gray and Juvia are extremely beaten up. Juvia is on the ground, panting and upset. Gray is standing, but bleeding. That's when Chelia tells Lyon to finish them off. He apologies to Juvia, while Gray speaks to her, calling her name. _

_"Juvia…" He puts his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Juvia reaches up and returns his touch. _

_They hold hands._

_ "Their weak spot is team work… __**We**__ can work together __**better**__ than them."_

_"Gray-sama…"_

_His bangs cover his eyes, but Juvia knew he meant every word. This gave her renewed confidence. They would definitely win as one._

_"LETS USE OUR FULL MAGIC!"_

_"YES!"_

_They start their attack, gathering up magic power. Their hands are still connected._

_"YOU BASTARD! How dare you pretend to be amorous and affectionate with her!" Lyon accuses Gray, who ignores his comment. "CHELIA! We must prepare our counter attack!"_

_Chelia sees how well the two work together, and is mesmerized. She also sees the love that Gray and Juvia share, and exclaims "So romantic…"_

_"WATER NEBULA!"_

_"ICE GEYSER!"_

_Their synchronized attack hit the pair, sending them flying. Gray and Juvia simply gaze at each other. They share a similar look of satisfaction._

_The two mages' finger's are still intertwined, their happy smiles also present._

_"When will you let go of my hand?" He's blushing again. Damn._

_"Never."_

_"You're scary!"_

_He lets her lean against him. She also helps him walk to meet with everyone else._

…

"Don't you hold hands with someone for that long if you consider them important?" Gray really wishes she could answer him. "Really important…"

He sighs and gets up. Though he makes sure not to let go of her hand; plopping himself on the chair beside the bed instead of sitting on the edge any longer.

"I won't let go either."

And he didn't. Gray kept his hand linked with hers the entire night. Eventually he fell asleep in the chair; his body bent over so that his head rested on the bed against Juvia's arm. He _swore_ he saw her smile in her sleep right before drowsiness took him over.

…

Six in the morning came fast. Porlyusica is going to check on Juvia, when she sees the raven haired mage still by her side. _'Has he been here the whole night…?'_

Gray's eyes start to twitch as he slowly opens them. He lifts his head up, but feels another presence in the room.

"How's Juvia?" He asks Porlyusica, knowing it's her who is behind him. The old woman checks the machine, and examines the water mage.

"She's the same. The machine so far is maintaining her energy, like I said it would."

He sighs in relief. At least she didn't get worse. "Ah… I see. Can't you… use healing magic?"

"No amount of healing magic can lift this curse. I looked through old scrolls last night. I'm sorry."

He knew that was the case, but it didn't hurt to ask. He nods and gets up off the chair. _'I'll be back… and when I come back, you'll be awake.'_

"Where are you going?" Porlyusica asks Gray.

He reluctantly lets go of Juvia's hand, and proceeds to make his way out of the house. Before he makes his final step, he mutters to the purple haired woman, not facing her. "This time, I won't mess up."

Porlyusica is about to ask what that meant, but before she can, Gray is already gone.

**…**

His apartment is somewhat unorganized as the ice mage packs various items into a backpack. Once he feels like he has everything, Gray locks the door and starts to walk the pathway that leads out of Magnolia.

It's still fairly dark outside. His footsteps are the only thing that can be heard, until he stops in the middle of the road to find a shadow of a figure blocking the exit. _'Who is… at this time…?'_

He would be damned if anyone was to try and stop him now.

**…**

**…**

**…**

**A/N: **How was that? Any thoughts? I like to include canon into fanfiction. It's my style; everyone has their own. I also like an emotional Gray. This chapter didn't give much away in terms of the dark guild. That will come later on. Um, yeah, feedback appreciated. :)


	4. Chapter Four

**A/N: **Update! :D

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail, etc…

**Summary:** [POST-GMG] The Grand Magic Games are over, and the future is saved. After all that's happened, Gray finally decides to swallow his pride. Gray x Juvia (Gruvia).

...

...

...

**Pride Isn't Everything**

_Chapter Four_

Atop of a roof on the outskirts of Magnolia sat two figures. They wear black coats with red stripes down the sleeves. Their faces are hidden; white masks covering everything but their eyes. The two peer ahead.

"I can't believe that idiot let them get away…" said a woman's voice.

"Don't worry. They'll come crawling back since we cursed that water mage," A man responds. "You're new to the guild. What's your name again?"

"You can call me Hotaru," she tells the man next to her. "It's always been my dream to join Burning Ember."

"Hotaru-chan, eh?" He licks his lips. "Do you know fire magic?"

"Of course. What do you take me for?"

"Just making sure. Our plans cannot be ruined. It's said that Fairy Tail is the strongest guild in Fiore again. They won the Grand Magic Games this year," The mysterious man tells her. "Now that we've cursed the water mage, we need not worry."

Hotaru smirks. "Though she could have been quite useful to us…"

"She still is," he grins in return. The two suddenly vanish.

**…**

Gray stands still, observing the shadow before making any sudden movements. He can barely make the person out without getting nearer. He inches up, taking a closer look. _'White hair?'_

"Fancy meeting you here…. Gray."

That voice. There is no mistaking.

The raven haired man walks up to the figure blocking the exit. With each step he makes, Gray's view becomes clearer, and he is able to confirm the person in front of him. Just a few inches apart; their eyes meet.

"Move… Lyon."

"Like hell I'll move! Are you crazy?" The white haired mage gives him a cold stare.

"I said… MOVE," Gray is about to walk past him, when Lyon grabs his shoulder and pulls him back to his original spot. This angers Gray, as he moves his hands to start an attack. "Don't fuck with me right now!"

"I know about Juvia," That's all Lyon had to say in order for his rival to stop his attack and stare at him with a shocked expression. Gray's arms fall limp at his sides.

"H-how…?" He manages to choke out.

"I went to see her last night at your guild," Lyon starts to tell his story. Throughout it though, Gray cannot keep his mind off of Juvia. He doesn't have time to listen to him. He has to go. He has to defeat that dark guild.

_'Please let this story be fast…'_

_…_

_Lyon walks down the quiet road, listening to the crickets. It's late at night, but he wants to see if his Juvia-chan is still at her guild. When he reaches the doors, the white haired ice mage bursts through like he owns the place._

_"Juviaaa! I've come to see you!" _

_But she is nowhere in sight. Maybe she went home already. Something is off though. Everyone else is there except her, and Gray. He is greeted by serious expressions that had formed on almost all of the Fairy Tail member's faces._

_"She's not here, Lyon," Erza responds coldly. _

_"Damn, I must have just missed her!" he curses himself. "Or did that bastard take her home? I'll kick his-" Before he can finish his statement, Lucy interrupts him. She can sense the anger around her, negative energy coming off of her fellow guild mates. She decides to try and make peace._

_"Juvia isn't well right now," The celestial mage starts. "Gray didn't walk her home. But he's with her at Porlyusica-san's place. I don't suggest you go there!" She can think of two reasons as to why Lyon should not go to Porlyusica's house. Number one is that Porlyusica hates humans. She would definitely kick Lyon out, especially if his reaction to seeing Juvia is extreme. She may get annoyed and kick Gray out as well, which wouldn't be good either. The second reason being, that Lyon won't like what he will see regarding Gray and Juvia. Lucy doesn't know exactly what he's doing, but Gray would definitely be by Juvia's side and very close to her. Then again, seeing that might possibly hint to Lyon that he should give up on Juvia._

_"Why wouldn't I go there!? What's wrong with her!?" He didn't care too much about Gray being there anymore. He only wants to know what happened to the girl he has feelings for. _

_"She's cursed by those bastards from Burning Ember," Natsu tells him bluntly, and unemotionally. Lucy looks to Natsu with surprise. She wonders how he can say that so simply. "We're going after them in the morning." He completes his reply. Natsu did not want to wait until morning, as usual. However, there was nothing they could do. He hates to admit it, but they have no other information on the dark guild or its members. _

_The group decided that they would set out in the late morning to early afternoon while gaining information throughout most of the night. Mirajane took out an old book dedicated to curses. The book gives information about the curse, its origin, and how it can be lifted if possible. The master had also requested the Magic Counsel to send him every piece of information on Burning Ember. They were reluctant at first, as they are not fond of Fairy Tail. But given the circumstances, the request was granted._

_Lyon pales. She is… __**cursed**__? The pain in his chest is indescribable. _

_He __**has**__ to do something._

_The ice mage runs out of the guild as fast as he can. He knows that Jura also kept a book that gave information on curses and dark guilds. He has to get his hands on it! _

_…_

_Once Lyon arrives back at Lamia Scale, he tells everyone what is currently going on regarding Burning Ember and Fairy Tail. They already know of the attacks around Magnolia, and now a fellow mage, whom Lyon is in love with, is also victimized. _

_"I'm going to save her!" He tells his guild mates._

_"Lyon! You cannot go out there now or alone. We wait until daylight to start," The old lady, his master, tells him. _

_"Master is right, Lyon…" Chelia says sadly. "We may have a book of information, but we don't know where they are now…"_

_"You'll probably be killed if you went alone. Or now. The book says they are at their strongest level at night when it's dark outside. Perks of being a 'dark' guild, I guess," Jura states calmly with a shrug._

_"Kuso…" Lyon clenches his fist. They are right. He makes up his mind; the moment there is even the slightest bit of daylight, he is gone._

_…_

_6am came slowly for Lyon, even though he studied the book the entire night. He is the only one left at the guild, though he'll be off soon. _

_'There…' he thinks to himself as a small ray of sun hits his eyes. _

_The white haired man takes off. After a while of travel, he reaches his last pathway out of Magnolia. In just about a mile, he will reach the outskirts. It pains him that he could not see Juvia before he left, but he would have felt pain either way just by looking at her in that state. And then there was Gray…_

_It made Lyon sick to know that the woman of his dreams is always around that guy. He hears footsteps that are coming in close. He quickly hides himself behind a building, just in case an enemy appears. If it's anyone from Burning Ember, he can eavesdrop on their conversation!_

_Unfortunately, he finds the footsteps to belong to the one person in the entire world who Lyon DID NOT wish to see._

_'What the…? Is he…?'_

_Before it's too late, the Lamia Scale mage quickly, but unnoticeably makes his way to the exit. He stands there, and waits for his long term rival…_

_…_

"Did you really come out here with no knowledge of them or the curse?" Lyon asks Gray seriously, who stays silent. The silence gives him an answer. "What good will that do?! That won't help Juvia at all!"

"Just shut up," The raven haired ice mage says, his bangs covering his eyes.

"You going off on your own… knowing nothing! That's not how Ur raised us! You haven't changed a bit!"

"Shut… up…"

"It's bad enough that Ur had to go after your ass when you went off on your own to fight Deliora! She died because of that… And now Juvia has to suffer too!?"

Lyon has no more time to speak, as a fist collides with his jaw. He stumbles back, blood dripping down the side of his mouth. "You… you bastard," he grumbles, wiping the blood away.

"I thought… I told you to shut up," Gray says as his dark bangs still cover his eyes. "You're right… Maybe I am stupid for coming out here," He looks up, giving Lyon the most intense expression he's ever given anyone. "But I will find a way to save her. Don't you tell me otherwise. I **will** save her!"

Lyon raises his brow. Since when was Gray so protective of Juvia? He knew him for a long time, and can when something is important to Gray. That's when it hit him.

Juvia is important to Gray.

Perhaps he really wasn't pretending when he was affectionate with her during the games, like he said he wasn't. Maybe Gray made up excuses when he told him not to take away a 'guild member'. But it didn't matter, because Lyon will not let him win. He wants to show Juvia how much he does care for her. Not only that, but he wants to save her too.

"I do too," he tells Gray. "I fell in love with Juvia the moment I saw her. Of course I want to save her too! My feelings are certainly stronger than yours."

Gray found everything about this conversation extremely irritating and wrong. First, Lyon had the nerve to bring up Ur again, and basically say how he was the cause of her death. This is a topic Gray never likes to revisit. Second, he related Juvia's suffering to that event, claiming that it was similar to how he went off alone to find Deliora. It was bad enough that he couldn't reach her in time before she was cursed. He didn't need Lyon to rub it in his face. Gray had been through hell the last 24 hours.

And last, to declare that he cares about Juvia more than him? That Lyon's feelings are stronger for her than his? Last Gray checked, Lyon isn't the one Juvia spends the most time with. Lyon isn't the one who stayed by Juvia's side the entire night. Lyon isn't the one who held Juvia's hand. Lyon isn't the one that Juvia loves.

Juvia doesn't love Lyon.

And Gray won't let him have her.

The raven haired ice mage is convinced that there is no way that Lyon's feelings for Juvia are stronger than his own are for her. Lyon may like her and find her attractive, but the prick hasn't been around Juvia long enough to know the real her. Gray doesn't necessarily believe in love at first sight either. Sure Juvia was infatuated with him since the beginning, but their relationship actually grew and keeps growing stronger with each passing day.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Gray responds to Lyon's comment. "Look we can settle this later. Saving Juvia comes first. I've wasted enough time here."

He doesn't exactly want to work with Lyon. But unfortunately, Gray has no information. He has to think of options that will benefit the water mage. Cooperating with his long term rival is one of them.

"It's been awhile since we worked together. Since the games…" The white haired mage recalls their battle, and fight against the dragons. Gray and Juvia were always next to each other, and it annoyed him. It still does.

Gray is astonished that Lyon is basically able to read his mind about them working together. The Lamia Scale mage continues, "I'm the one with the information. So you need me. But two mages are better than one. Just don't slow me down."

"Yeah, yeah. Tell me what you know already!" Gray mumbles.

"I'll tell you as we move. Let's go!" They leave Magnolia, searching for any signs of their enemies.

**…**

"THAT **_IDIOT_**!" An enraged Erza thrashes her sword through a wall in the guild. Its lunch time, and Fairy Tail had just received word from Porlyusica that Gray had left her house around 6 in the morning. His intentions are clear, and that's what scares her.

"Calm down, Erza!" Makarov uses hand gestures to support his comment. In reality, he is very worried. It hurts him to see one of his 'children' in such an unstable condition. Juvia was originally the enemy, but had proven herself to be a kind and caring person. She was instantly attached to Gray, which is one reason why he sent Gray off with her on a mission during the first days of her being an official member. He wanted to make sure she was comfortable.

And then there was Gray.

Makarov first met the ice boy when he was very young and had the desire to revive his sensei. Since then, Gray had become a very prominent member of the guild, and one of the strongest. He grew up over the years, although still maintained a 'brat' side at times. It was just like him to go off on his own like that. The master realized how close he and Juvia became, especially since the games. Everyone knows that Gray cares a great deal more for Juvia than he lets on. They're all waiting for that moment went he finally swallows his pride.

"Calm down!? Why didn't he wait!? We have information now! He can easily get killed by himself against an entire dark guild. And you're telling me to calm down!?"

Erza is close to Gray. If she had to choose anyone from the guild and call them her best friend, it would be him. He found her alone; he saw her cry. He stayed by her side and broke through her confusion. Through everything, he was there for her. It hurt her to see him in pain; Erza is no fool. Gray's had feelings for the water mage for quite some time. She can see it, but he is still searching for his own answer.

"I'm pretty worried too…" Lucy looks down, sadly. "He didn't leave her side the entire night. And now he's gone completely."

"Don't worry about him," Natsu says apathetically, which causes the entire guild to look at him in shock. "What? We're about to go out there ourselves. I'm sure we'll bump into him at some point. Pretty sure that other guy is going after Burning Ember too."

"You mean Lyon?" The celestial mage asks him.

"Yeah, him. Besides that, Gray is strong. He'll be okay until we find him."

_'Natsu…' _she thinks to herself and smiles. It's definitely nice to hear him compliment Gray instead of put him down. Even though they fight, Lucy knows that Gray and Natsu share a close friendship.

"He still should have used his brain though," Gajeel's voice intrudes. "If he would have waited, we could have all gone together with information."

Levy, who is sitting next to Gajeel, looks up at him. "When you really care about someone… or even love them, you don't waste any time when they are in trouble, right?"

"Eh?" The iron dragon slayer gives her a weird look. It isn't hard to figure out what the petite girl is implying. Gajeel wasted no time in trying to find and save Levy on Tenrou Island. Natsu wasted no time in finding and saving Lucy during the Grand Magic Games when she was arrested. Naturally, Gray would go out there for Juvia and nothing would have stopped him.

He took a bite out of his iron. Juvia is a close friend of his. They had history; being together in Phantom Lord and all. She was the one who recommended him to join Fairy Tail with her; she didn't want to leave him alone. At first, he pitied her since her love was so incredibly one sided in the beginning. After awhile, Gajeel saw how serious she actually was and that the ice mage started responding to her advances. He admits he felt slightly happy for her. Now, his friend is suffering. All Gajeel wants to do is beat the shit out of whoever did this to her.

"Aye! Gray must love Juvia if he went right away!" Happy says aloud. "Just like how Natsu saves Lucy all the time… hehe." The cat's comment makes Lucy blush, while Natsu gives an annoyed face.

Most of the guild grins at the scene. Meanwhile, Wendy starts to feel disappointed in herself. "I.. I wish I was of more use… I wish my healing magic could work!"

"Don't be hard on yourself, Wendy." Carla tells her sternly.

"Yeah, it's not your fault," Mirajane pipes in.

Erza sighs. When you love someone you do things you never thought you'd do before. Everything she did for Jellal came rushing back to her at that instant. However, she quickly shook away her thoughts; focusing on the task at hand. "Let's not waste anymore time!"

Due to having information on the dark guild, Fairy Tail agreed to only send a select few members out to hunt. Erza, Lucy, and Natsu of course; along with Gajeel, Levy, and Wendy. Happy and Carla followed in suit. Makarov urged his grandson, Laxus, to go along with them but he refused and said he would rather stay and protect the guild. This was much to Makarov's surprise. Maybe Laxus could really be his successor one day.

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu pounds his fists together.

"Hang in there, Juvia! Gray! We're going to help too!" Lucy says, pumping one fist in the air.

The rest of them either smirk, or smile.

**…**

"The curse is from the book of Zeref!?" A flabbergasted Gray exclaims as he and Lyon travel the outskirts of Magnolia in the forest. His 'partner' started telling him all the information he knew in regards to Burning Ember, along with the curse that's placed on Juvia.

"Yes. You'd know that if you researched before coming out here!"

"Cut the bullshit and just tell me everything!" Gray responds, annoyed.

"From what I read, the guild formed about 14 years ago. That's counting your 7 year gap. They weren't very well known and they use fire magic," That part Gray had gotten from Juvia. He needed to know more. "It's led by a mage called Akuma. His name means 'devil'. Fire certainly represents the devil. There are only three real main fighters in the guild, including the master. The rest of them are weaker and don't really fight, despite knowing how to use magic."

_'So that's why that guy I beat with one punch was so weak… he wasn't a main fighter… The only reason he got Juvia was because he disabled her magic...' _Gray thinks to himself.

"They constantly search for ways to improve their power. Fire is weak against water, and it's said they want to not only practice on a water mage, but control them," Lyon continues, looking down. "Juvia was obviously their target. Though I can't understand why they would curse her if they want her."

"He did tell me to hand her over," Gray mentions. He filled Lyon in on what happened and how Juvia ended up being a victim. However, he had forgotten about the bastard actually attempting to take Juvia from him because he was so caught up in worrying about her. "He said if I handed her over, her life would be spared." He shuts his eyes tightly.

Lyon nods. "Maybe they can lift the curse whenever they want, so it didn't matter if they cursed her or not. Those assholes probably want to practice on Juvia, and make her a main fighter in their guild. No one would expect a guild that uses fire to have a water mage. Throughout the years, their presence grew. They aim to be the most powerful guild, wanting to destroy the top three guilds in the country. Sabertooth, Lamia Scale… and Fairy Tail."

Gray opens his eyes again. It was a typical thing; many guilds want to overpower Fairy Tail. This time though, they crossed the line. No one hurts a Fairy Tail member and gets away with it. No one hurts the one that Gray cherishes the most and lives.

No one.

"Akuma is a dangerous man. He has two minions named Fudo and Hotaru. Fudo has been with the guild since the beginning; his name meaning 'god of fire and wisdom'. Hotaru is apparently a newer member, but her name means 'firefly', so she fit in right away."

"You really know a lot…"

"Well that's all I did last night when I found out about Juvia!"

Gray sighs. He starts to think that maybe instead of spending the night with her, he should have done something more productive to help her. His brain tells him he did the wrong thing, while his heart tells him otherwise. "I stayed with her all night, Lyon. While you got the research done, I watched over her," He decides that they need to make peace. He just didn't have the energy to argue. "It's a team effort. So… thanks." He cracks a small grin.

Lyon can't help but grin back, even though he is a tad pissed off that Gray was with Juvia the entire night. They share a trademark facial expression exchange when they are determined. Still running through the forest, he continues giving Gray information. "There's not much else we need to know about the guild. The main thing is that they use fire magic. Now, the master not only uses fire magic, but he apparently admires Zeref. He got his hands on the book of Zeref somehow and memorized a bunch of spells. That's why he's different from the rest. The curse… it's called the curse of dreams."

"Curse of… dreams?"

"Right. When a victim is bitten by someone who knows the curses' spell, small dark circles appear on whatever part of their body was attacked. Listening to your description, it fits Juvia's and the rest of the innocent's cases," Both ice mages come to a halt as they reach the end of the forest. Lyon looks at Gray.

"The curse knocks them unconscious and attacks the victim in their dreams. They see themselves in a hell hole, though the scenery is different for everyone. In their dreams, they are constantly fighting enemies. If they get hurt in their dreams, their life force drains in real life. The more they are successfully attacked or hit, the more their life force fades. Their energy is sucked away from them. And if they die in their dream… they die in real life too." The last part of his sentence pained both of them, especially Gray.

"That's why many regular civilians have died. They aren't mages and can't defend themselves as well as people like us." Lyon concludes.

"Juvia…" Gray looks to the ground. Why had he failed her? Why did she have to suffer? Why?

Lyon sees the agony on Gray's face and offers some comforting words. "She's strong. She will hold out until we can save her," he told him without a doubt in his mind.

"Yeah…" he responds. Juvia was considered S-Class in Phantom Lord, and a candidate to be S-Class in Fairy Tail too. "Yeah, she is."

Perhaps Gray really did care for Juvia as much as he did, Lyon thinks to himself. Truthfully speaking, he really hoped that the display during the games was only a one time thing.

But Gray is serious.

"Oi, Gray… Before we continue… I need to ask you something. And don't lie to me. I'll know if you're lying." Lyon utters to Gray with a rigorous face.

"What?" He stares at him, a bit ticked off.

"Juvia… _do you love her?_"

**…**

Porlyusica sits at Juvia's bedside. She had just fiddled with the machine. So far, it's maintained Juvia's energy as much as possible, but her life force started to decrease only slightly once again.

"Damn this thing…" the old woman mumbles to herself. She's someone who always hated humans, but seeing the misery on that black haired boy's face made her give in. Besides that, she does hold a soft spot for Fairy Tail.

She suddenly gasps as she witnesses Juvia flinch. Porlyusica wasn't sure if her old eyes fooled her or not, so she watches even closer. After about fifteen minutes, she is about to get up, when Juvia's arm catches her eye.

"Her fingers… they moved…" She didn't know how or why. But the purple haired woman is sure of what she saw now for the second time.

Something is happening to Juvia in her unconscious state.

...

...

...

**A/N: **Even though this is a Gruvia fic, I still want to include Gray and/or Juvia's other bonds. For example, Erza and Gray. To me, Grayza is a crack/fanon pairing. However… they have chemistry that if Gruvia and Jerza didn't exist, I'd probably ship them together. ((dodges tomatoes thrown at her)) And ironically, Gruvia and Jerza are my OTPs for Fairy Tail. xD I also really like Gajeel and Juvia friendship.

Oh hohoho a big question! What will Gray's answer be? Laid back, cool-headed Gray being confronted about love! And what about Juvia? Is the flinch good, or bad?! Haha.

Lyon did his homework. I wanted you guys to learn more about the dark guild in this story, after all. (Btw, some of you guessed correctly at the figure blocking Gray last chapter which was Lyon. I was surprised! I need to try harder. But congrats and good guesses there. lol)

Anyway, sorry that took longer than before. I'll try to update faster next time. Feedback? :u


	5. Chapter Five

**A/N: **First of all, I want to thank those who leave me feedback and review. It really helps story-wise and motivation-wise. Every word is appreciated. Thank you all so much!

Second of all… I don't own Fairy Tail. T.T

**Summary:** [POST-GMG] The Grand Magic Games are over, and the future is saved. After all that's happened, Gray finally decides to swallow his pride. Gray x Juvia (Gruvia).

...

...

...

**Pride Isn't Everything**

_Chapter Five_

Porlyusica watches the water mage continuously twitch. It's as if she is having an internal battle with herself. The old woman also notices the machine connected to Juvia going berserk. It's only a matter of time until the thing gives out, and the blue haired girl will be left to fend for herself.

_Hell. If there is any word to describe the surroundings that Juvia had been placed in, it is hell. _

_"W-where is Juvia…?" _

_She looks around, wandering aimlessly until she reaches a dead end. Suddenly, more than half the platform Juvia is standing on vanishes, and she is left on a relatively small piece of concrete that you can easily fall off of if you aren't careful. _

_"Lava…?" Juvia says quietly to herself. She is surrounded by lava on all four sides of the platform, although it's raised a couple feet. She looks down at the extremely hot, bubbling liquid and trembles. Despite being a water mage, falling into burning hot lava scared Juvia._

_She hears movement around her. "Gray-sama!?" Juvia's eyes desperately search for the ice mage._

_"Sorry, your boyfriend isn't here," says a voice. _

_Normally Juvia would be jumping for joy that someone referenced Gray as her boyfriend, but this time she can't even do that. All she wants is to get out of this hell hole, and see him. _

_"Who are you!?" _

_A figure comes out from under the lava, and steps foot onto the platform a few feet away from Juvia. She notices the guild mark above his left eye._

_"You… you are…" She continues to tremble. She knows who he is. The blue haired girl remembers him from when she was young; when Burning Ember first formed._

_"Akuma. Master of the dark guild, Burning Ember. I'm sure you've heard of us," he smirks. "We keep getting more and more popular you know."_

_"You're sick! How could you do this to all those innocent people!? These people… they have lives! They have others who love them! Everyone is suffering!" _

_"I'm surprised that's all you think about. Don't you care about yourself?" He tilts his head, as Juvia clenches her fist._

_"Juvia cares about all her friends and the innocent. Juvia puts them above herself," she closes her eyes and pictures Gray. She wonders if he's worried about her; if he cares. Though she does want to know where the heck she is and how to save herself. _

_"You're pretty incredible then. How about joining our guild?"_

_"W-what?" _

_"Right now you are dreaming. In the real world you are unconscious, and your body is losing life force as we speak. I can save you, but only if you agree to join us." Akuma walks forward, placing a hand on her cheek._

_Juvia is disgusted. She wants to remove his hand from her, but cannot lift a finger for some reason. She wants to know more of what is happening. "Juvia is… unconscious?" The water mages tries to remember what happened before the scenery around her changed. After about a minute of recollection, she remembers everything up until the point where she passed out in the first pathway. She remembers traveling, the old woman, and her magic being disabled. 'Wait…'_

_Moving back as far away from him as she can without falling into the lava, Juvia moves her hands. "WATER LOCK!" She shoots her attack towards Akuma, who did not have time to escape. Water engulfs his body, as Juvia stands in front. 'Juvia's magic has returned…'_

_"Hehehe… you're good," he says to her while still trapped in water. She can tell his power is weakening due to water being fire's greatest weakness. However, it isn't enough to defeat him. "But I'm better!" he breaks the water lock with purple flames, and slams them into Juvia's body. She gets hit hard, but manages to remain on the platform. Stumbling back, Juvia's eyes go wide._

_"How did you..? And Juvia's water body. Fire should also not harm Juvia!"_

_"I control this world, little girl. My flames aren't normal fire as you can see. I'll have to thank Zeref for that," He laughs, making Juvia even more paranoid. "The only way for you to escape this curse is to defeat me, unless you join us. I will lift the curse on you. Other than that, I must be defeated here or in the real world. Too bad that will not happen!"_

_"Z-Zeref…?"_

_"Of course. Where else would the curse come from? I've always admired him. I aim to be the most powerful!"_

_"Juvia will never join you!"_

_"If you don't join then you will cease to exist!" Akuma raises his arms, summoning at least one hundred fire demons. They look like ugly monsters; many of them having different skin color that ranges from purple, to green, to blue, to red. Juvia gasps as five of the monsters lunge at her. She jumps, and prepares a water based attack. "WATER SLICER!" Five slices of water hit them right on target. Once they were hit, those specific demons disappeared. _

_"Water might be fire's weakness, but you'll run out of magic power eventually," Akuma states as he starts to escape below the lava. Before his head cannot be seen anymore he says one more thing that makes Juvia become paralyzed. "If you die here, you die in the real world too. Good luck!"_

_She shakes off the shock. "WAIT! STOP!" Juvia needs more information. She can't die in her dreams, right? It's impossible! And how did the master of the dark guild even appear in her dreams? Was he telling the truth? Or was he trying to trick her? Regardless, she knows she has to remain alive and defeat all the demons throwing themselves at her. They don't seem very strong, but there is a lot of them. _

_'Juvia must win… Juvia must escape… Gray-sama…'_

Another flinch. The machine had given out, and the old woman watching over Juvia sighs. She can only hope the water mage is strong enough to survive on her own.

**…**

"W-what…?"

It's impossible for Gray's face to become anymore red than it already is. Lyon continues to stare at him with a serious expression plastered on his face.

"Do you love her, Gray?" Lyon responds very straight forwardly.

The white haired mage wants an answer. He is not beating around the bush.

"It's not like that," This is Gray's initial response. He says it without thinking of how he really feels. He's evidently used to denying any romantic feelings he possibly has. "I care about her, she's my nakama. But that's it!"

Lyon wishes Gray was telling the truth. "I thought I told you not to lie."

"I'm not lying to you!" He becomes slightly angry.

"You're not lying to me. You're lying to _yourself_."

"I'm… lying... to _myself_?" Gray furrows his brow, not exactly believing what Lyon just told him. The Lamia Scale mage simply nods, whilst Gray starts to yell at him. "Oi! You can't tell me how I feel! I decide that! What do you know anyway!?"

"I guess you won't care if I date her then, right?"

"Whatever!"

"You're very immature. Just take into consideration what I told you before," Lyon walks past Gray without another word of the topic and jumps down a cliff, leading out of the forest. This leaves a confused Gray standing at the top, staring out into the distance. He's in deep thought.

_'Lying to myself...? Lyon doesn't know what he's talking about. Juvia is just a friend, and I care about all my friends. She's…'_

He stops his train of thought as pain develops in his heart. Just thinking about what happened to Juvia upset him immensely. Gray reaches for his backpack and places it on the ground. He kneels down, opens the backpack, and takes out a black t-shirt. He unfolds it to reveal a butterfly design on the front. The raven haired man holds the shirt to his chest, clenching it for dear life.

…

_"GRAY-SAMA~!"_

_"Juvia? What's up?"_

_They are all at a local bar in Crocus. The games are at its climax, and everyone just wants to have fun. Gray is sitting a table, where Juvia finds him and smiles._

_ "Look what Juvia got for Gray-sama!" She hands him a folded black t-shirt. "Juvia thinks that Gray-sama strips too much. He needs more shirts!" She doesn't mind when he strips in front of her. It's a nice view. But she doesn't want him stripping in front of anyone else. "Also, it's for good luck!"_

_He sweat drops. "Uh… thanks, Juvia!" He can use another shirt. Why not?_

_Gray takes the shirt and unfolds it, only to see a huge butterfly smack dab in the middle. His face turns sour._

_"I'M NOT WEARING THIS!" His outburst sends Juvia into a ball on the floor, crying in a corner. _

_"Gray-sama…" She sniffs. "Doesn't like Juvia's present…" Another sniff._

_"Uh… uh… Wait, Juvia, er…" He doesn't know how to deal with such emotions. He does know that he hurt her feelings; something he doesn't like doing. _

_Gray sighs._

_"Okay, Juvia! Calm down! I'll… I'll…" he gulps. Her ears perk up and she jumps up into his face. "Does this mean Gray-sama will wear it!?" Juvia's eyes light up with hope._

_"…Sure," he frowns. "But I-"_

_"Thank you, Gray-sama! Juvia is so happy!" The water mage tackles him with a hug, almost making them both fall over. This causes Gray to turn red, but he doesn't push her away. "Maybe Gray-sama can wear it when Fairy Tail wins the games?" She says as she snuggles into him._

_"Why not?" He shrugs as best as he can while having Juvia cling onto him._

_Juvia is laughing; her smile can make a dark room turn bright. Gray had to admit that it's nice to see her happy instead of a depressed rain woman. _

_He gives a small smile. 'This is going to be a long day…'_

…

And that's exactly what he did. Once Fairy Tail won the Grand Magic Games, Gray put the butterfly shirt on just as he promised Juvia. It didn't feel as awkward as he thought, although his friends gave him weird looks.

'_I can't believe you got me to wear this…'_ He chuckles at the memory. _'Juvia… hang on… I'll save you!'_

Gray then puts the shirt away in his backpack for safe keeping, and runs as fast as he can in order to catch up with Lyon. When he does, they both look back to confirm they have indeed made it outside the forest.

"From what I read in the book, the enemy's hideout should be a few miles north of here. Strange since they use fire magic you would think they would hide out in a warmer place," Lyon explains to Gray. "But at least we didn't have to travel too far. It should only take use about an hour or two if we hurry."

Gray nods, but can't help but question him. "Are you sure it's this way?"

"Of course I am! This is for Juvia! I make no mistakes, especially when it comes to her." Lyon crosses his arms over his chest, while Gray narrows his eyes down and to the side. Lyon is always talking about her, always complimenting her. It makes him glad that people acknowledge Juvia, but at the same time, it annoys him. Why does Lyon have to look at her all the time and in that way? A part of Gray just wants Juvia all to himself.

Wait, what?

Gray shakes his head. "Fine then. Let's go!" That said, he starts to run north of the forest. The road has cracks all over the place, and isn't stable, but the ice mage doesn't care.

"O-oi! You bastard, wait for me!"

**…**

"I sense we have some company," A man with green hair and hazel eyes states as he flicks his cigarette. "Wonder how long it will take for them to find us."

Fudo takes a puff, inhaling the smoke. He senses two groups of mages heading there from the south of Fiore. One group contains only two, while the other group has more.

"Why wait until they find us?" Hotaru asks him as she smirks. "They're coming in pretty fast. The master will be disappointed to find that some low class mages found our guild."

"I'm not so sure they're low class, Hotaru-chan. I sense some great power coming from them, especially from anger," He laughs.

The two minions are standing at a window located on the top floor of their guild. The guild has three floors; upstairs, main floor, and a basement. A gate blocks the entrance, as well as some trees that hide part of the roof.

"Kill them."

"Master Akuma!" Both Fudo and Hotaru spin around to become face to face with their master. Startled, Fudo drops his cigarette. _'Oh god dammit!'_

"Don't tell me that you two haven't thought about it. Those mages are from Fairy Tail, and one is from Lamia Scale. They're coming here to try and defeat us to save that precious water mage. Here's our chance to start to rid the world of these guilds. To show Zeref who the most powerful is!" He cackles as the other two stare at him.

Akuma recalls his meeting with Juvia. "That woman is as good as dead anyway. They won't succeed. Although I believe she has a close relationship with one of the ice mages, it won't be enough."

"Ice mages?" Hotaru questions. "Fire can melt ice. This should be a snap!"

"Fairy Tail is the strongest guild. They won this years Grand Magic Games. We shouldn't underestimate them," Fudo mentions as the other took look at him as if he has five heads. "What!? You know how those Fairies get when one of their nakama is in danger."

"SILENCE!" Akuma screams as fire shoots from his mouth. Fudo ducks while panicking.

"Master…" Hotaru whispers. Akuma continues to speak.

"I will be on the main floor. Defeat them all before they reach our guild. I don't feel like playing today."

The two mages watch their master walk away from them and once he is out of sight, the woman with silver hair and brown eyes speaks up. "The larger group is still in the forest. Go after them. I feel like melting some ice mages."

**…**

Gajeel walks ahead of everyone in the group. Panther Lily is close behind, worried about his friend. They were all out of Magnolia and walking through the forest to head north to the dark guild's hideout in which the Magic Counsel had told them about. The iron dragon slayer stayed quiet the entire trip.

Having enough of the silent treatment, Levy picks up her pace and walks next to Gajeel, giving him a concerned look. "Gajeel…?"

"Hm?" He speaks a bit roughly, and doesn't look at her. They continue to walk next to each other, Levy leaning in closer.

"What's wrong? Why are you so quiet…?" The petite girl asks fully knowing the answer. Juvia is a close friend of his. They've been partners for a long time. Levy isn't jealous, as she knows it's only friendship the two share.

"It's weird," He starts, which makes the rest of the group listen carefully behind. "How did they curse Juvia so easily? I want to kill the bastards… All of them. Even so, how did they do it? She's S-class material." He shakes his head.

"Gray said that the pathway she took disabled her magic!" Happy chimes in, walking next to Panther Lily.

"So that's what happened…" Carla looks down as Happy pats her shoulder while they walk.

"THAT OLD HAG!" Natsu screams suddenly, making the rest of them look at him.

"Who are you calling an old hag!?" Lucy waves her arms in circles, red in the face. She's used to him insulting her, so naturally she thought he was referring to her. He stops, making everyone else stop in the process to hear him out.

"Not you, Lucy. Remember that old woman we met that took us to those pathways and urged Juvia to go in the first one? Then she disappeared and we were all separated. She obviously wanted Juvia to go in that pathway for a reason," Safe to say that everyone is rather impressed with where Natsu is going with this. Who knew he can be so smart?

"So obviously Juvia was their target. But why?" Gajeel responds, breaking out of his silence to find out more information.

"Good question. Maybe it has to do with her magic. They use fire and she is water," Erza concludes.

"That must be it. But the only way to break the curse is to defeat their master! We must do it!" Wendy says loudly, still upset that she cannot heal Juvia.

"And we need to find Gray too," Lucy reminds them all.

"I hope he's okay…" The blue cat's face becomes sad.

"He'll be okay. He's fighting for someone he cares more about than anyone. And he's probably somewhere around here…" Levy remarks.

"I can smell him. He was here. He's ahead of us," The pink haired mage tells them. "We can't let him get too far ahead. Let's keep going!"

Everyone nods and are about to continue through the forest, until a voice keeps them from moving.

"Oh look, I caught some Fairies in the forest, heh heh."

"Show yourself!" The requip mage commands, pulling out her sword.

"That voice… It's… familiar…" Lucy shakes in fear.

"What? You're going to slay an old woman now? That's not very nice…"

"YOU!" Natsu's fist becomes fire as he jumps up to punch the figure in front of the group. "YOU'RE NOT REALLY AN OLD WOMAN ARE YOU!? WHO ARE YOU!? WHAT IS YOUR GOAL!? EAT FLAMES!" He screams, sending his attack towards the woman. Just when his fist is about to slam into her body, she vanishes.

"What?" Natsu's eyes go wide, and he turns around quickly.

"Where did she go!?" Gajeel is ready to fight. _'This must be the old woman that Salamandar was talking about before. She's responsible for what happened to Juvia!'_

Suddenly the forest erupts in flames. Only a small part is left untouched, which happens to be the area Natsu and co. are in. Surrounding trees are caught on fire, but the ground is safe for the time being. The smoke is thick, causing everyone to cough and cover their mouths, gasping for air.

"W-what i-is t-this!?" The celestial mage asks between coughs.

"Don't breathe in the smoke! It's like poison!" Wendy warns her friends. She sees that some of the flames are purple tinted, meaning that the enemy not only uses fire, but poison attacks as well.

Many of them are also worried because the forest is burning down. The living creatures will all die if this keeps up. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that this woman is from Burning Ember.

"Who… are you… really." Fire engulfs his fist once again. Natsu is unaffected by the poison effect.

The old woman smirks. "As expected of you… Natsu-san. I should have sensed your power and immunity to any flames when we met in town…"

Her form changes into that of a man. This causes all eyes to become huge.

"Let's play… shall we?"

**…**

_"You're not lying to me. You're lying to _yourself._"_

Those words still chant in Gray's head. Normally he just ignores pointless mumble jumble that Lyon spits at him, but this line was different.

It _really_ bothers him.

How can he be lying to himself? How DO you lie to yourself? Is that just another way to say 'listen asshole, you're in denial'?

Lying means to not be truthful. But Gray is truthful when it comes to his feelings.

Right?

_'I really need to figure this out… When Juvia wakes up… I'll talk to her… We'll have an honest talk… just us…'_

Gray then slams into Lyon, who just so happened to stop abruptly. "OI! What's the deal!?"

"We're here."

...

...

...

**A/N:** I wanted to include Gray's butterfly shirt in this story (in which he STILL hasn't stripped yet, by the way. It's been like five chapters!), but in a different way than my other fic, **Butterfly. **It felt cheap to copy and paste the same flashback from that story, so I made up another way Juvia could have given Gray the shirt in this one. Feel free to read **Butterfly** for the other scenario. :)

Also, if you follow Naruto, you should know where I got the whole "you're lying to yourself" stuff. xD

Feedback? Thoughts? It only takes a few minutes or less! :u

**EDIT**

I received this review for this chapter. Let me clarify something.

To **Layla:** I have to reply to you here since it seems you don't have an account on this site. Anyway, I read that story back in... January? I don't remember much of it at all as it's been awhile (shame shame, I should re read it) but **no**, I didn't get inspiration from it. I remember it being an excellent story, however I know for a fact Juvia wasn't cursed in that story the way **I** made her cursed here. I also know that story focuses on Gray and Lyon fighting for Juvia, while this story does not. Writing in the present tense is normal and what most fics are supposed to be in. Saying "wait for me" is also a typical line used when you're trying to save someone, isn't it? I didn't really make Gray cry, I had a tear roll down his cheek because I related it to how he was on Galuna Island while thinking about Ur. That's where that came from. Hope this explains everything!


End file.
